Saga of the Devouring World
by Jayfiction19
Summary: As the Thirteenth Black Crusade rages through the Galaxy and Primarch Roboute Guilliman returns to lead the Imperium strange whispers from the Segmentum Obscurus filter through the rest of the Galaxy. Entire Planets going dark, and fleets of both Chaotic and Imperial Nature disappearing without a trace. Something is growing in the Halo Stars, something powerful, and hungry...
1. Chapter 1 - Breaching

Chapter 1 - Breaching

Time/Place- 132 001.M42 / Empty space outside the Spawnhole system of the Halo Stars.

"Hunger hunger hunger

Cold black no food. All dead all dead, no more infection in veins.

Scent! Scent! Scent! Atom-fire nearby clutches morsels in its Gravitic clutches.

Into the Screaming I go! Scream harder! Scream Louder!

Tear a path through the Screaming to next meal!"

Time/Place- 009 003.M42/ In orbit of Chaos Slave world, Fodder III

Aspiring Champion Limax of the Black Legion wandered the Bridge of the cruiser under his command. The Corrupted Vision was under Orders to escort Dark Mechanicus and Chaos Thrall-Ships sent to harvest resources from the planet Fodder III. Unlike many of his fellow servants of Chaos Limax did not mind doing this this dull work for he knew the importance of his orders and being a Servant of Papa Nurgle, and that his devotion would be rewarded. Limax was happy to slowly and calmly work his way up the ranks of the Legion through "grunt work" Allowing his rivals to rot and wither due to their own foolish ambition. Unfortunately A large chunk of his crew did not share this sentiment and wished to be back at the frontlines of the 13th Black-Crusade and reave the decaying husk of the Imperium. Forcing Limax to keep a close eye on his subordinates and their schemes.

Strolling up to the main viewport the Aspiring Champion peering down on the billions of poor wretches being marched to the great harvesting stations in lines so massive they could be seen from orbit. This world lived up to its name, for much fodder for Chaos would be harvested here. Limax watched the procession for hours until he felt a disturbance in the Warp, something was entering reality. Limax smiled and ordered his crew to battle stations before the fleets sensors detected it. The Crew was used to this and knew not to question it, for Limax was a rarity among Aspiring Champions, not an Astartes but a Navigator that had embraced the dark powers. As much as made a show of preferring to do more menial jobs Limax was known for having peculiar luck on whatever mission he undertook. The reason being his sight into the warp and the skeins of destiny was akin to many great seers in the Warmasters service. He knew months ago that volunteering for this mission would greatly enrich him. The Chaos fleet watched as a hole in reality opened and the tattered remains of an Imperial Battleforce shot into the system.

After Cadias fall and the opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum, good chunks of the Imperial Navy were lost and disconnected these rogue forces sought to martyr themselves by destroying as much of the forces of Abaddon as possible. This left the various Chaos fleets in the odd possession of repelling raids instead of leading them. Soon every Vox channel was filled with maddened Imperial Hymns sung by Crew that had lost the light of the Astronomicon and sought to avenge their Emperor and Imperium that they thought lost.

Calmly Limax rattled off orders to his crew and the nearby Dark Mechanicus vessel. Using his precognitive sight he directed his ships to avoid the Torpedoes and other long distance ordinance that streamed towards them. Arranging his fleet with warp-blessed skill he gave the order to fire and a barrage of Marcroshells and Lance Bolts erupted from his small fleet. Round after Round pelted into the outmatched Imperial as Limax continued coordinating the defense with supernatural ease and fluidity.

The Aspiring Champion conducted this orchestra of murder with volley after volley of Laz an Adamantium rounds pulping the engines and turrets of the rag-tag Imperials. Once the Imperials vessels were neutered Dreadclaws descended upon them and emptied their putrid cargo of Corrupted Astartes and damned minions into the ships. His warriors got to sake their bloodlust and Limax acquired new ships for his fleet and a grateful group of DarkMech priests willing to repair and upgrade them. This seemingly dull mission had produced a great bounty. Limax lips parted in a diseased parody of smile as he silently thanked the Plaguefather for his gifts.

Time/Place- 103 003.M42/ In orbit of Chaos Slave world, Fodder III

A few months had passed and Limax's fleet was swollen by one Cruiser, three Light Cruisers, and six Escorts. The Dark Mechanicus had been very useful in returning them to working order before they left for their Forge World at the Edge of the Eye. The Thrall ships also departed, taking their wretched cargo of slaves and scum to be used as resources in the Long War. After spending a few weeks in the system testing the capabilities of his New Vessels Limax moved his fleet to the edge of the system and prepared a unified Warp Jump to take them to the main fronts of The Thirteenth Black Crusade. Putrid incense was burned and unholy rites were conducted in the name of the Four to ensure safe passage. Limax took his hallowed seat on the Navigators throne to guide his newly swollen fleet.

He opened his Corrupted and empowered third eye to peer into the warp. As he focused on the beautiful madness of the Immaterium he felt something, something beyond alien. Like a Whale beneath the surface of the sea, it moved, displacing huge volumes of warpstuff as it rode the current. Limax almost lost his concentration right there but he kept his sight upon this behemoth. He had felt Space Hulks and Void Whales and this was similar in magnitude yet something was off. His precognitive sight had not noticed it, almost as if destiny itself refused to look at whatever was emerging from the Warp. The thing was massive, planet sized at least and gave off the most sinister aura. Even with Limax being the hardened veteran of the Eye he was disturbed by it. Fearing this new threat he shouted to the crew to cancel the warp jump and move to battle stations.

Whatever in Nurgle's name this thing was he did not want to be entering the Warp with it so close. Moving into a Battle Formation the Chaos Fleet waited for whatever their Master has sensed. Soon Daemonic and Material sensors began shrieking warnings. (literally for the Daemonic one's) Reality at the edge of the System trembled and split. Warp Lighting of impossible colors crackled as the material was violently pulled apart, a titanic Warp Rift had formed.

Thousands of miles away the Corrupted Visions command bridge watched the widening rift as an entire planet was spat from the it. The Rift shut behind the moon-sized object like the jaws of an unholy beast. The Moon then begins to move at an astonishing rate towards Fodder III while thousand mile strands of dissolving Warp-Stuff peeled off its twisted bulk like strands of iridescent mucus.

Limax showing why he was the commander of this force was the first to react to this shocking event. He ordered his fleet to follow the warp-born Planetoid at a safe distance. He ordered his Sorcerer, a Tzeentchian by the name of Orama to psychically reach out to the Moon and discover its nature. The ancient exiled Thousand Son entered the immaterium and touched the Titans mind. Orama had touched the mind of countless abominations but this...was new. He felt the Moon and curiously felt no resistance. It was like the mind of a newborn, no defenses or mental barriers just a single thought, repeated over and over in its massive brain.

Hunger was all that was on its mind. A gnawing mind crushing hunger that was the focus of this entity. Focusing his thoughts Orama plunged further into its mind. The structure of its mind was strangely both alien and familiar was like nothing he had ever dealt with in all his ten thousand years. It was an open book to him but he could not change the slightest thought or idea. A tome carved in stone. He could feel its youth, Its ugly birth in a nexus of death. Orama dug deeper into it and was surrounded by the sheer unharnessed and undirected power of a being of such physical and metaphysical magnitude. As he reached its depths he felt something, something he had not felt in a very very long time. The Ex-Thousand Sons had been them when his Father and the Emperors Dog battled, he had felt it in his body and soul when two young gods clashed. The memories at the core of this moon were infinitely worse. Twin titans battled in its memories and subconscious. A Mass of Flesh made of teeth and claws wrestled a Screaming multi hued wind that changed every millisecond. Orama watched this contest of pantheons as his mind began to fray at the edges.

As he felt the sheer psychic pressure loosen tenuous grip on sanity slip away external forces grabbed him and hauled him screaming from the Hungry world's mind back into reality. Orama Awoke screaming as the ships Apothecary readied another syringe to jam into his veins. Shakely standing the Astartes asked Limax and the other elite aboard their ship to meet. He explained that what ever in the name of The Four this was it could not be beaten by them and that all they could do was watch and pray to Dark Gods it did not notice them. Limax's lieutenants all began to shout their views. Followers of Khorne spat curses for wishing to retreat. Fanatics of Word-Bearer kin begin to whisper a prayer. The Apothecary, a student of a student of a student of the infamous Fabius Bile agreed with Orama, his own morbid curiosity seeking to watch this thing. Limax agreed with his Sorcerer and the miniature Chaos Fleet trailed behind the World.

Time/Place- 111 003.M42/ About three light seconds from Fodder III

Trailing the Planetoid like Remora on a Shark the fleet watched it move through the system, directly towards Fodder III. The Raptor Cultists and the psychics in the fleet could sense the growing fear on Fodder III as they watched a dot on the horizon grow bigger and bigger each day. Soon for the poor scum on the planet's surface, the dot became more visible and it even began to affect the planet's tides. As this new moon became closer to Fodder III than Luna is to Terra, tidal waves began to sweep across the world and the Planetoid began to slow. The Chaos Fleet watched this spectacle from a safe distance as Huge volcanic seams began to show on the surface of the Hungry Planatoid facing Fodder III.

This Warp-born moon was now close enough that its gravity should have plunged it into the larger slave-world. Yet it did, thanks to some supernatural means. The Volcanic seams on the moon widened and gaps in its mantle formed. Huge tendrils of partially rotten flesh erupted out of the moon. They were easily Kilometers in girth and hundreds of them in length. They slowly unfurled towards the world below which burned from disaster and anarchy caused by the planetoids arrival. Like a wretched egg, more and more chunks of the Moon's mantle shattered and ripped off. Revealing a massive continent sized maw. Its tendrils Smashed into the world below it. Some just burrowed into it like worms in rotten flesh, engorging on molten metal while others made huge sweeps across the world. Scooping up entire ecosystems and cities with giant towering maws that gulped down anything they came close too with toothed feelers and snatching tentacles.

Once thoroughly anchored by its tendrils, dust seemed to pour off of the Moon. Telescopic scans showed they were creatures, armies of undulating constantly shifting life forms that tumbled through the atmosphere. Billions of Wretched abominations landed on Fodder III and devoured all in their wake. All of this was carefully watched by the distant Chaos Fleet. Multiple onboard minor insurrections had to be put down due, these were caused by Psykers going insane from the psychic backlash of a world being eaten, and the primal fear so many on the vessels felt from watching such a display.

It took mere months for all life on the planet to be consumed. The once agri-world was reduced to a scarred husk. The eater-forms that had descended soon began to mass directly beneath the Maw and Eyes of the Devouring World. The Forms ate each other in a colossal feat of carnage with each victim adding to the victors mass. Soon an entire planet's worth of biomass had to become a colossal necrotic mountain that continuously crushed itself under its own weight while mutating ever higher into the sky.

As a sickening crescendo to this travesty, The tendrils of the Moon pulled it out of orbit, and crashing into the doomed world. Its Continent sized maw opened wide and devoured the grizzly offering that was its children had become. The Planet and moon smashed into each other with a shockwave that sent mountains into orbit. One of Limax's Escorts barely avoided one of these newly formed Asteroids. The Moon Enjoyed its feast of flesh and stone and eventually detached its tendrils. Retracting its limbs and maw it allowed the exposed molten core of what was Fodder III to smear over the cracks and wounds on its crust. Filling in the gaps on its murderer's mantle and appearing to those who did not know the wretched truth to be just another lifeless rock. Limax gave a single order to his still horrified and entranced crew. "Prepare for Warp-Jump, by the Fell-Gods we must tell the Warmaster for only he so blessed may stand against this...this… Devouring World"


	2. Chapter 2 - Lion of the Void

Chapter 2 Lion of the Void

Time/Place 081 008.M42 / Battle Barge "Courage of Carolus" The Crusading Fortress Monastery of The Imperial Lions Astartes Chapter.

Chapter Master Gustavus Carl paced his office with grim determination. The last few years had been an insane mix of despair and hope. Cadia had fallen and the galaxy was bisected by this Emperor damned Giant Warp Rift. Yet his Primarch had returned and there were rumors of entire legions worth of Astartes on the march to save the Galaxy. He like nearly all Chapter Masters had not taken orders from anyone since his ascension to the rank, this situation changed with the Primarchs Return. Astropathic signals reached him every day with clear concise orders for his Chapter. The Lord Commander had assigned the Imperial Lions (due to them being nearby) and the surviving Astartes Praeses the duty to find all surviving elements of Battlefleet Cadia and the other Naval elements scattered in the wake of the 13th Black Crusade.

While already possessing a powerful Chapter-Fleet this duty had swelled their force rather considerably. They had gone from a minor Fleet chapter to what was steadily becoming a ramshackle Imperial Battlegroup. Thankfully they had not encountered any Chaos Fleets, just a few scattered raider craft. This absence was due to the fact that almost every warp-capable craft in service to the dark powers was headed to the front of this "Indomitus Crusade"

Lion-Fleet, as this migrant military force was becoming known, had another less formal duty, aside from gathering lost Imperials. They stopped in countless terrorized Imperial Systems to reassure them that "No the Emperor still lives, yes one of his Sons has risen, and yes hope had returned to an Imperium long bereft of it." The next system they intended to stop by was Turba. Home to a Hive World that Gustavus figured would be the location of another chunk of the scattered fleets the hunted. After a rough Warp Jump (all too common thanks to the Great Rift) The Lion-Fleet entered the system and headed to the location of Turba Prime. Almost immediately they knew something was terribly wrong.

Time/Place 090 008.M42 / Edge of the Turba System.

Gustavus exited his office and moved at transhuman speed to the Bridge as klaxons wailed and The Lion-Fleet engaged emergency maneuvers. They had warped into the middle of an Asteroid field. With Stern fury, he used his centuries of naval experiences to guide his fleet to safety. The fleet looked worse for wear, but no crippling blows. As the ships regrouped The Chapter Master approached his chief navigator and asked with a voice filled with harsh discipline how in the Emperor's name did he manage to warp them into an Asteroid field. The cowering Navigator explained how in all their charts and records that there should be nothing here. Annoyed at the Imperium's...questionable infrastructure Gustavus ordered his Astropaths to make contact with Turba Prime.

The Astropath became startled as he reached into the Empyrean and felt nothing. No Astropath nor even a single soul was in this system aside from them. Becoming increasingly worried The Chapter Master Ordered them to launch Augur Probs, prepare long range scans and ready for an attack at any time. After hours of physical and metaphysical searching, they realized this once vibrant system was utterly Dead, not a soul or ship could be found.

Slowly approaching Turba Prime the Hive World came into view. Hive worlds were always unpleasant sights but this was worse. Huge lash marks stretched across the world's surface as if a celestial Cat O'Nine tails had whipped its crust. Hive Spires still stretched into the skies but were gutted off all valuable material. Some lay toppled and others seemed to have been picked up and tossed like a child's toy. The most horrifying mark upon this planet was a massive gaping wound in the world that seemed like something had bitten a chunk out of it.

Orbiting around the husk of Turba Prime The Lion-Fleet bombarded the world with every form of scan and concluded that the world was truly dead and empty of any movement or immaterial threats. The cause of this tragedy needed to be found so Third Captain Johan lead a Squadron of Astartes to the dead worlds surface. The Thunderhawk faced little atmospheric resistance, the world's once thick and noxious atmosphere was reduced to a thin layer, as if some great lung had breathed it all in. The Smog that once blanketed the world had settled leaving a thick layer of soot and filth on the surface. The Gunship landed in what had once been a capital square. This was a world of dust. Everything was cloaked in it and the Astartes padded through it carefully, while scanning and documenting all they observed.

Moving Swiftly and silently they reached a grand boulevard in the Hive, where they encountered a truly obscene sight. The Astartes under Johan's command were all hardened warriors but this was a new horror the cosmos had to show them. Stretching nearly a hundred feet from end to end and as tall as three Astartes was a titanic mass of bones. Some intact others shards, it was a mountain of desecrated human corpses. Johan signaled Brother Jakthund to examine the bones. Jakthund served the Deathwatch for 83 Terran years and he knew all too well what jaws had cleaved these bones, what claws had eviscerated the Emperors Flock. In a hushed voice he said "Tyranids, these are victims of Tyranids but…. Wrong somehow."

The Imperial Lions primarily fought in Segmentum Pacificus so only a few ex-Deathwatch members among them had directly fought the Tyranids but they all knew the horror of the beasts that had wreaked such a vicious toll on two first founding chapters. "How are they wrong Jakthund?" asked Johan, "Bite angles are odd, weird teeth and claw locations, and these bone piles? Never seen their like. Whatever these things are they're related to the 'Nids but not them." Just then one of the Assault Marines sent to scout Voxed the rest of the squad "Sir you better come look at this" The Marine was Standing atop a Massive Steel Beam that had fallen off a Hive and overlooked the bone pile. Johan joined him and looked down, the sight made a rare curse escaped his lips "Emperor Damn it" The Bones were not just in a pile but in a pattern. It formed a circle that looked like a coiling beast but with outcroppings of bones as eight points. The Mark was some sort of hybrid of the Ouroboros of the Genestealers and the Star of Chaos.

Time/Place 004 009.M42 / Orbit of Turba Prime

After frantically returning to the fleet Third Captain Johan briefed Chapter Master Gustavus Carl, the 1st company and the four other Captains that were part of the Lion-Fleet. The News was dire. Tyranids and Chaos together was an unthinkable abomination that the Imperium could not afford to face. They would document as much as they could and get this information to the Imperium if anybody could stop this new threat than Lord Guilliman could.

Techpriests lead by a lone Magos biologis explored the world and scoured its surviving archives. The Lion-Fleet was beginning to calm and had sent Astropathic messages about a "New Threat" they had discovered. They feared to send more details, for in these dark times none can be trusted and this information could not be allowed to be intercepted. For four months they tedious searched the planet below. This time came to an end as The Lion-Fleet faced a new threat. A Chaos fleet was approaching, the screeching mad Psychic signals were not exactly subtle and the Lion-Fleet had plenty of warning, but the Magos refused to evacuate showing the stubbornness infamous in the priesthood of Mars.

The Lion-Fleet hid in the shadow of Turba Primes Moon after laying minefields and other fun surprises for the Traitors. Five light seconds away from their position a Warp rift opened and spat out a Fleet of Lost and Damned vessels. These were not Corrupted Astartes (much to Gustavus relief) but lesser mortal servants of Chaos. Ordered to Hold Fire. The forty or so Vessels of the Lion-Fleet watched Chaos Pirates scream towards Turba Prime. The Chaotic ships cared not for strategy or sanity and smashed through the mind fields and Asteroid traps without a thought to their casualties. They were reduced to a few crippled bleeding vessels within an hour, and well before they reached the Moon. Just when Gustavus was considering giving the order to open fire on the stragglers A second portal opened. The First thing through it was a Chaos Battleship. The main fleet had arrived after the escorts cleared the way for them...

Time/Place 005 009.M42 / Orbit of Turba Primes moon

Gustavus Cursed the Traitors. He had faced more than his share of Damned Fleets and he was confident they would emerge victorious but not without casualties he had hoped to avoid. The Lion-fleet still hidden behind the Moon, moved to battle formation and awaited the Heretic Fleet to move into firing range. Forty battle scarred Imperial vessels ranging from Astartes Battle-Barge to Viper Escorts prepared to face the Chaotic Battle Fleet. It was composed of a single Battleship of the Changer of Ways, Six Grand Cruisers marked in Slaanesh's name, Seven Cruisers of Nurgle and eight escorts roaring for blood and skulls.

These were not new foes for Gustavus and he had slain many a chaotic fleet and knew the tactics so their course of actions shocked him. While still three light seconds away and well outside of their ability to accurately hit a vessel the Chaos Fleet opened fire. Lances scoured the surface of the Moon and macro shells flew. "Impossible how do they know where we are?" Gustavus ordered evasive actions as the Lion-Fleet exited the Moon's shadow. He had hoped to keep them ready for later but seeing the element of surprise was lost he ordered his secret weapon unleashed. The two Nova Cannons his fleet possessed fired in unison. Flares of holy fire brightened the void as the Chaos fleet reeled from the blast. Two of their escorts and one of their Grand Cruisers had been ripped in half by the Cannons but the rest of the Chaos fleet still came firing seemingly randomly at the moon and at Imperial forces.

As the began the battle in earnest the Courage of Carolus's Vox began to get messages from the planet's surface. The Magos was attempting to contact them. All but a one signal Corp officer ignored the data transmitted, they were too focused on the ensuing battle. This Officer read the message and bolted from his position to make his way through the ship and to any Astartes who would listen. The battle was going well, Macro Cannons had pelted the Chaos fleet who had just seemed to notice the Imperial Presence even after the Nova Barrage. Blasts of heat and light colored the unforgiving void as the twin fleets battled. After hours of the usual tense long distance warfare that is Void Combat, the message made its way to Gustavus. It was short but beyond horrifying. "Turba Prime does not have a Moon, RUN" Gustavus just had time to roar an order for his fleet to move before a titanic arm of warped flesh broke through the Moon's Crust and crushed a straggling Light Cruisers.

Time/Place 005 009.M42 / Orbit of the Devouring World.

The Light Cruiser was plucked out of orbit by a tendril and smashed into the "moon" in a great ball of plasma. It all became crystal clear. The Chaos Fleet had not known they were there. The Moon had been their target from the very beginning. Chunks of Stone the size of Countries broke off of what had been thought to be a Moon. Some crashed into Turba others flew into the void. A mass of tentacles erupted from the gaping hole. The Arms moved with surprising fluidity reaching out to grab Vessels of both fleets that now circled the world focusing as much firepower onto it as each other. Shells and Beams tore at the Devouring Worlds Crust. If the beast even noticed the bombardment it did not Care.

A Maddened Khornate Escort Changed direction unexpectable and dived towards the center of the tendrils. Every Vox Channel it could transmit on heard the last moments of the ship "YOU WILL BLEED FOR ME CREATURE! BY KHORNE I SHALL RIP YOU AND TEAR YOU! YOUR SKULL MUST BE MASSIVE AND IT SHALL BE GIFTED TO MY GOD! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" Five Megatons of Wrath rammed into the Beast and detonated in a blast of hate and fury. The Devouring World tentacles began to thrash as the base of them was burned by warp-tainted plasma. They flailed taking half a dozen ships with it. It was as if it was screaming in agony. No...not if, The Chief Librarian of the Imperial Lions was the first to realize that the beast really was letting out a Psychic scream of such volume that even those not touched by the Immaterium could hear it.

At his insistence, the Lion-Fleet activated their Gellar Field, a bizarre thing to do in real space but would be quickly proved to be the correct decision. Its buffer of sanity muffled the scream that rose in volume until cultists aboard the Chaos fleet began to collapse in violent fits as their body and minds ruptured from the raw power of the "Moon". The Chief Librarian a wise veteran known as Polhem lead the other Librarians and sanctioned Psykers in the fleet in an effort to form a mental Shield around the Lion-Fleet as reality itself began to rupture from the psychic pressure of the wailing moon. A Warp Rift tore open and the Devouring World escaped into it. The Chaos Fleet dove after it like Sharks chasing a wounded whale.

The Rift eventually closed naturally and the Lion-fleet began nursing its wounds. After picking up the Magos and his retinue who had thankfully survived the impacts on Turba Prime in a series of bunkers the scarred Fleet prepared to make with all due haste to the frontlines of the Indomitus Crusade to inform the Imperium of the monster growing in the Halo Stars.


	3. Chapter 3-The Insane and the Indomitable

Chapter 3 The Incomprehensible and The Indomitable

Time/Place 023 009.M42 / Segmentum Solar Northern Mobile Command on Oulia.

Lord Commander of the Imperium Roboute Guilliman's Thunderhawk carried him and his Praetorian Squad back to HQ. It had been a long ugly day of warfare. A group of traitorous Astartes calling themselves The Cleaved had tried to push through the line using the all too common tactic of using civilians as shields. Unfortunately for the traitors, they did not know the accuracy of the Cawl Bolt Rifle. The Cleaved had simply been sniped through the gaps in their human shields and been reduced to a handful of their former number. The traitors had fled and the day was won.

Within the week all active Chaos forces would be blasted from this world, Then the Primarch would move to the next. His eyes shut and his brow furrowed Guilliman pondered memories of the past. The Great Crusade had been no less bloody, yet… there was something different about War in this damned future, no not future but the present. He had to occasionally remind himself of that saddening fact. His brothers were all dead, missing or insane. His father...well the thing he considered his father was not truly alive nor Human, he wondered if he had ever been. He was alone in this horrifying reality and only he could save Humanity from damnation and destruction.

The Thunderhawk landed and they disembarked. Tech Priests and Chapter Serfs swarmed its passengers checking their armor and weapons as they removed them. Next teams of Ordo Hospitallers checked them for injury or corruption. All Squadrons that faced long term exposure to Chaos underwent this to ensure nothing slipped through the cracks. Even though he had penned this procedure and was considered beyond such thing Guilliman insisted in undergoing it himself. Once he and his Honor Guard exams finished he returned to his quarters. The Honor Guard slowly peeled off to take up other duties until only his Equerry and a Custodian known as Gataki followed Guilliman. (The Custodes Guard insisted on having one of their number with him at all time, officially to protect him, unofficially to monitor him)

Throngs of bureaucrats and officials surrounded them as they walked through the Fortress that Guilliman was operating from. Data Slates and forms poured into and out of the Primarchs hands. He may have mixed feelings for his "Father" but was grateful for the superhuman processing and reasoning abilities he had inherited from Him. As infrastructure plans, campaign orders, and governmental reforms finished up one last scribe came forward. "My Lord there is a Chapter Master who just lead a fleet into the system and refuses to speak to any except yourself"

Placing his hand over his Eyes Guilliman sighed and asked for more details. It was not too uncommon in the first few years of the Indomitus Crusade to have half-mad chapters demand an audience to confirm who he was, despite the valuable time it took up it was useful to establishing some form of command among the Astartes and distributing Primaris reinforcements. "They claim to be the Imperial Lions along with remains of Battlefleet Cadia, Agripinaa, and Scarus. The head of the fleet, a "Chapter Master Gustavus" claims to have urgent news that you alone should hear first" The Lord Commander's eyes shot open. "Imperial Lions?" they had been one of the first encountered and assigned chapters, they had been sent to the edge of the Eye near the halo stars… Whatever reason they were here could not be good. "Tell them there are no remaining Chaos vessels in the system and we control all orbital defenses. Have them join our Fleet and I shall meet them."

Guilliman finished up his duties for the day and retired for the few hours of sleep his transhuman form required. Awaking the next day he received his briefing and moved to his personal Thunderhawk, he tried to find an old Stormbird but had not succeeded so his modified craft known as The Gladius would have to do. Eating a meal and conversing with his Chief lieutenants The 13th was confident that he was not necessary to mop up this battle. Astropathic communications informed him that the other branches of the Crusade were going well. Calgar, Dante, Hagan, Shrike, and the others were making progress throughout the Imperium, hopefully by the end of the year, Segmentum Solar would fully be back in Imperial Hands. Then they would be onto the rest of the Galaxy. Boarding the Thunderhawk with his Honor Guard the Primarch prepared for this meeting. The Gladius flew into orbit and docked with the Imperial Lions Battle Barge.

Time/Place 024 009.M42 / Battle Barge "Courage of Carolus"

Guilliman and his guards entered the main hanger to the sight of two hundred Astartes kneeling before them. While he was an advocate for discipline and order the sight of kneeling Astartes bothered him, it never used to until Monarchia… If only he had convinced his "father" to handle things differently then maybe… No, it was pointless to dwell on the past the future needed him. Walking past the rows of supplicant superhumans he noticed that the officers and other without Helms wore haggard stressed looks on their faces. He had seen that look on Astartes only a few times in his life. On Calth and in the aftermath of the Siege of Terra. Whatever in Macarages name this was it was not good.

Chapter Master Gustavus Carl had met his Gene-sire before but it still was an intense experience to be so close to such a being. Mustering his will, he looked into the Primarchs face and spoke "I beg forgiveness my Liege we had orders and I should not have been so bold to ask this but I felt there was no other way" Guilliman stiffened at the word "Liege" Marnus Calgar had tried to go on a penance crusade after Guilliman explained his views on this idea of "spiritual liege" to the Chapter Master "Rise, my sons, I am your commander, not your Master for he is on Terra" The Primarch winced internally at his use of the religious undertones of his speech.

He was then led by the Chapter Master and his advisors into the Tactical chamber of the Battlebarge where a large holographic display showed a dead world, It appeared to be a former hive world it had massive lash like craters that stretched for hundreds of klicks and a massive gouged out hole that reached its core. Shuddering at the image of the world Gustavus said "This was Turba Prime. A major Hive world we arrived at to continue our mission. We found it in such a state and attempted to investigate the cause, soon our Navigators detected a Chaos fleet incoming so we moved to battle formation." "How many vessels in your fleet?" Guilliman asked, "forty at the start, 28 now." Guilliman was shocked Gustavus was well known for being an excellent Void Admiral to have such losses even against a Chaos fleet? Seeming to guess Guillimans next question The Chapter Master spoke"We did not have a single loss to the chaos fleet, M'lord our ships suffered a different fate, watch the recording"

The Hologram zoomed out showing the world and its moon. This was a patched together view of the battle using numerous sensors from the fleet. This was an often used technique for post-combat review. Guilliman watched silently as the 1st then 2nd Chaos fleet appeared, then the odd attack and the Nova Barrage. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper at the Odd Chaos behavior and then he saw it. The tendril breaking free from the moon and the attack by the Beast. His eyebrows shot up into his hairline as the devastation unfolded. Not a single word was said as the recording continued to the suicide of the Khorne-Escort and the monsters escape. As the recording ended he turned to Gustavus and let his full superhuman nature come to bear. The battle hardened Chapter Master nearly fell to his knees from the raw mental pressure as Guilliman said in a brutal whisper "get me all your data on this, NOW!"

Time/Place 026 009.M42 / Segmentum Solar Northern Mobile Command on Oulia.

Guilliman poured over stacks of documents and data slates. He had faced many foul Xenos in his time and had battled the forces of Chaos time and time again but this…. This was quite simply the physically largest threat he had ever faced. He figured that if he could track it down it would be fairly easy to kill, a Cyclonic Torpedo had solved many a problem and hopefully, it would solve this one also.

Now finding this thing though, that would be difficult. It appeared to have some sort of ability to warp travel via rift. Normally finding a stray warp rift in the entire Galaxy was not an easy task, now with Cicatrix Maledictum, it would be easier to find a chunk of space that was not a warp rift… Worryingly he wondered if this thing could appear out of any Rift in the Galaxy? If so then things would get immensely worse. The only reliable way to track this thing appeared to be by Planets that went dark, which was yet another thing not exactly uncommon in this current hellscape of a Galaxy.

The Connection between Chaos and the Tyranids was also troubling. He had seen the scars on his Sons and his Home Worlds left by those monsters. They were a threat to the galaxy all by themselves and had nearly destroyed his Sons and the sons of the only other Emperor he had served. Chaos is Chaos and corrupts all it touched, but this infection of Tyranids new according to all his records. The fact that kept sticking with him was that this "Devouring World" had not attacked or even seem to notice the Imperial Lions and only became active when the Chaos fleet entered the system. This seemed to indicate that this new enemy was just as much a threat to Chaos as the Imperium if not more. The Chaotic fleet seemed to know this fact and chased after the World when it attempted to Escape. What on Terra could this be?

Time/Place 027 009.M42 / Segmentum Solar Northern Mobile Command on Oulia.

Sighing to himself and putting aside the documents Guilliman got up from his ornate desk. (one benefit to being worshiped as a Demi-God was they kept your old furniture and gear as holy relics for easy recovery 9,000 years later) Realizing he had reached the limit of his superhuman knowledge and brain The Primarch was forced to admit he needed experts in this field. In the Dark and Grim future of the 41st millennium, there were only one group of experts who could provide him with the knowledge he needed. He was loath to call upon them but he saw no other options. Soon the message was transmitted and the word was out. The Lord Commander was seeking counsel from members of The Holy Ordos of the Emperor's Inquisition.

Roboute Guilliman had grown to hate the Inquisition, he had met some of its founders when he first served on the High-Lords and they seemed decent if paranoid servants of the Imperium. Now the current ones were to quote a series of memoirs he had picked up to help understand the "modern Imperium" "The Emperor's pet Psychopaths" This was a disturbingly accurate label he had learned after reading the reports supplied by their representative to the High Lords. Fanaticism, paranoia, and hypocrisy appeared rampant in their numbers and it did not help he had to use the Officio Assassinorum to stop multiple attempts on his life by more radical elements. Now the Inquisition were sending their best members of the Ordos Xenos and Malleus at his begrudging request.

They finally rendezvoused with Macragge's Honor Four Months after the completion of the battle on Ouila when the Gloriana-class Battleship was being repaired at the orbital shipyards of Elysia after a particularly nasty Void engagement with a Black Legion fleet. Twin Inquisitorial Black Ships entered the system almost in unison. They glided up to the Honor and requested right to board. By the end of the hour, Guilliman found himself dealing with two Inquisitors who could not be more different. Lady Inquisitor Myla Heimdall was a stern Puritan of the Ordo Malleus, a friend of the legendary Torquemada Coteaz. While Lord Inquisitor Honos Stigler was the near antithesis in the form of a radical Ordo Xenos with a flamboyant personality. They were greeted by a Primaris Honor Guard when they boarded and were escorted to the Primarch. Guilliman had quickly learned an immediate show of strength and authority was very useful in dealing with the Inquisition.

They entered his Office and Bowed. Unsurprisingly Heimdall's was the stiff jerky bow of one unused to not being the top of the chain of command. While Stigler's was more akin to a performer exiting the stage. Guilliman was reminded of happier times involving his flamboyant brother and "murderer," Fulgrim would pay a steep price for his crimes. With what little ceremony he allowed over the Lord Commander simply asked: "So what do you know about Chaos tainted Tyranids?"

Time/Place 191 009.M42 / Macragge's Honor, in orbit of Elysia

The Lord and Lady Inquisitor had the exact same response and said it almost at the same time. "What?" Guilliman stood up from his desk and activated the holo display in his office. The Eight Pointed Oroborus (as it was being called) from Turba Prime appeared. The Inquisitors studied intently, "That was found on a destroyed Hive world, a Veteran of the Deathwatch confirmed the killers were Tyranid but he noted something odd about the bites and claw marks. Unfortunately whatever did that is our secondary concern." The Image flickered to the recording of the battle. They watched it just as the Lord Commander had months earlier. Guilliman watched their faces for any sign of recognition or deceit as the Monster revealed itself, and the ensuing clash with it.

Heimdall's was a rictus of fury and disgust at what she saw, and Stigler's was one of stunned fascination. As the recording finished they sat in silence for a moment as Guilliman allowed them to process, Stigler spoke first. "Forgive my shock My Lord but this… this is impossible. The Tyranid Hive-Mind makes their bioforms immune to the touch of Chaos, there have been accounts of Hive Fleets battling Daemonic forces with the Tyranids not being affected in the slightest." Regaining her composure Heimdall began to speak "I concur, while I know better than most the danger and corrupting touch of Chaos this seems impossible. The nature of both threats prevent something like this from existing"

Guilliman sighed "I figured as much but the fact that still troubles me is how they reacted to the Chaos fleet and how they seem to be targeting it. Almost as if they were built to hunt Chaos. It's antithetical to everything I know and have experienced but the idea of fighting one enemy with another has some merit. It's what the Eldar have been doing since the Great Crusade."

Stigler replied "Fighting one Xeno threat with another, that has never worked well for the Imperium. Only one of our Ordo was mad enough to try that…." The Lord Inquisitor trailed off and his eyes widened. "This monster was first sighted in the Halo Stars?" Guilliman nodded yes. "Oh by the Emperor that's last where HE was spotted! After the Octarius incident, the trail went cold but sightings have persisted in that part of the galaxy." Realizing who Stigler was referring to Heimdall's face became a mask of cold anger. "He should be dead, by times hand or by the very things he hunted. You failed to clean up after him Ordo Xenos and find him, but if he is still out there than he is our best chance of getting to the bottom of this!" The Primarch calmly interjected, "Who are you talking about?" The Inquisitor's half whispered the name that might hold all the answers. "Kryptman"


	4. Chapter 4- The Hunt for Kryptman

Chapter 4 - The Hunt for Kryptman

Time/Place 191 009.M42 / Macragge's Honor, in orbit of Elysia

Guilliman raised an eyebrow and asked "Explain who or what this Kryptman is" Stigler began speaking in a nervous voice. "He was a Lord Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos. The first to encounter the Tyranids actually, and was instrumental in winning some of our first victories against them. Kryptman eventually lost favor with the High Lords after some… Questionable actions"

Heimdall bluntly interjected "He went mad and was declared Excommunicate Traitoris after Murdering a number of worlds in an attempt to stop Hive-Fleet Leviathan" Stigler continued with "Yes, and then there was the Octarius incident, he deposited a large number of Genestealers inside the Ork Empire of the Octarius sector in an attempt to redirect the Hive-Fleet, and damage the Greenskins"

Guilliman was starting to really question the general sanity and practicality of the Inquisition. Asking in a tired whisper "And?" Stigler seemed to hesitate a second before saying "Well it worked too well my Lord, Hive-Fleet Leviathan was fractured and with so many Orks flocking to the sector, entire Ork Empires are becoming depopulated and easy to crush." "But?" responded Guilliman knowing he would not like the answer "But both species are growing more and more powerful. The Tyranids are feeding off of billions if not trillions of Orks. While the sheer amount of Warfare and conflict the Orkish feeds the WAAAGH-Field. I shudder at thought of what kind of Warbosses could be brewing inside of it." Guilliman let out a defeated sigh and walked out of his office and told the Inquisitors to follow him.

They walked until they came to the Grand War-Room of the ship. Chapter Masters, Admirals, Generals, and other Inquisitors bustled around the room, making plans and strategies to reclaim the Galaxy. They all stopped and Saluted or bowed when Guilliman entered the room. He told them to be at ease as he walked over to a particular Chapter Master who was formulating Void tactics with a number of Lord Admirals.

"Chapter Master Gustavus meet The Inquisitor's Heimdall and Sitler. I have a mission for you three." The centuries old post-human looked over the two Inquisitor's and they did the same. "You are the joint-leaders of a new task force. You are to track down the Ex-Inquisitor Kryptman and use his knowledge and your own expertise to find and kill the Devouring World. I am allotting you The Imperial Lions chapter and fleet along with any other assets you find necessary to complete this assignment, with in reason, of course, that is... I am also assigning Ephoroi Kyn as my representative." A being almost as tall as Guilliman seemed to melt out of the shadows behind the Primarch. It was a member of the Adeptus Custodes clad in black armor. The Custodes greeted them with a curt nod. "You have your orders and mission, prepare what you need to and get to work" Guilliman then joined the War Room discussion and the quartet left to begin the Hunt.

Time/Place 241 010.M42 / The Chaos Fortress system of New Lochos

The Task Force had spent over a year following the scant clues left by the Devouring World. It had become a case of looking for the absence of information not the presence of it. Wherever Planets went dark or sightings of Chaos fleets rapidly increased or decreased they went. If the Inquisitor's network of informants got a valuable lead they would follow. So far this had led them only to many of their preys victims.

Over two dozen worlds of had been found gutted and destroyed, and the beast showed no sign of stopping. Thankfully it seemed they were not far behind it. Each kill they documented seemed to be more recent. Hopefully, they would soon catch up to it. The other task, the search for Kryptman had not been going as well. If the once-Hero of the Macharian Heresy was still alive he was hiding extremely well. The one lead they had to his location or valuable knowledge about their foe was the fact that underworld trafficking of Xenos specimens and information had been on the uptick recently in the Halo Stars.

In particular, a large number of Tyranid samples were making it to the New Lochos system, hence why Inquisitor Stigler's Black Ship orbited it. New Lochos was conquered by the Iron Warriors in a previous Black Crusade and acted as a recruiting world and fortress for Perturabo's Sons when they left the Eye. The trail lead here so using the stealth technology of the Black Ship A group of acolytes led by a Throne Agent skilled at infiltration made planet-fall intent on finding out more about Kryptman.

The Planet they landed on was a Chaos Urban world known as Grim Salvage. The data they had acquired showed huge amounts of resources and specimens were consistently funneling into this world. It took the Acolytes months of scouring, sneaking, and "coaxing" information for them discover the reason. There was a secret laboratory on this planet where unholy experiments involving Xenos and Daemons were being conducted. Rumors spoke of Human Alien Hybrids, Tyranid Chimeras, and something known as the "Shackled Queen"

Time was short, a kidnapped Savage Morticians had been forced to tell them all he knew about this Fortress-facility known as Echidna's Womb. Among other things, the Acolytes learned that the facility was mobile and transported between planets constantly to keep itself hidden. For to quote the tortured Dark Mechanicus "Some things are blasphemous even in the eyes of Chaos and our work attracted the attention of things...best left undescribed." With that knowledge, the leaders of the Task Force agreed to assault the Fortress-Laboratory for any and all information they could acquire.

Time/Place 397 010.M42 / Echidna's Womb: Dark Mechanicus research facility on Grim Salvage.

A Joint squad of Astartes and Stormtroopers rode in silence as the Three Thunderhawks screamed through the night atmosphere towards their target. Orbital scans had shown that Echidna's Womb was, in fact, a Grounded Imperial Vessel. Emperor willing there would be minimum modifications to it and the Files on the layout of that type of vessel would allow them to navigate it. Their orders were to capture or kill any and all enemy combatants and shut down the vessels defense so the main force could attack.

The Thunderhawks were moving at extreme speeds to avoid any enemy Air Defense. High altitude insertion was how they intended to arrive at the mission site. The Drop-Ships opened up and fifteen Astartes and thirty Inquisitorial Stormtroopers plunged to the ground. They were a few klicks over the site and hoped to land directly where the vessels command bridge would be. The jump was timed perfectly and the troops were in perfect range when their Grav Chutes and Jump Packs were activated. The deep strike was going well until the sky was bright with fire. AA placements lit up the sky and one of the Thunderhawks exploded in a flash of flame. Despite the Imperials best effort the insertion was detected and the battle had begun.

The other two Thunderhawks began to return fire aiming away from the Jump Infantry. Despite the distraction provided five Stormtroopers were killed in the descent. The lucky ones were killed instantly by bolt or Las fire. The unlucky ones had their Chutes hit and they fell screaming to earth. The Astartes also took fire but their armor protected them. Forty troops made it to Echidna's Womb, Seventeen would make it out.

They landed right on top of the Bridge and cut their way into the beached ship. The Imperials used the "Poisoned Spear" technique of Deathwatch fame. A technique oft used on joint Deathwatch/Stormtrooper missions. Astartes pushed heavy through the halls of the vessel smashing through any and all resistance with their superhuman power. The Stormtroopers mopped up those not subdued in the initial Astartes Blitz. They faced Lost and Damned troops, Dark Mechanicus and even Iron Warriors in these close quarter vicious battles. Of the 15 Astartes assigned only 10 of them were Imperial Lions (a standard squad) the other 5 were Inquisitor Stigler's Deathwatch Kill Team.

The Kill team had more specific orders to secure any and all research inside the labs of the vessel. They broke off from the Imperial Lions and Stormtroopers and headed to that direction while the rest of the force pushed to the central control of the Ship. Two hours later the defenses of the Womb fell and the rest of the contingent assaulted the ship. As they made their way deeper into the curiously lifeless vessel they found "bits" of Stormtroopers and Astartes intermingled with the carnage. One look at the bodies was all it took Stigler (who had led this second phase attack) to know the culprit, Genestealers…

Stigler checked his Hellpistol and watched the Imperial Lion Terminators who were part of the force take position. This was no space-hulk but they would do what they do best. He then Joined a group of Primaris Terminators as the force fanned out throughout Echidna's Womb. The Inquisitor's squad made their way deeper and deeper into the vessel passing through various scenes of carnage. Thankfully few Imperial bodies were in these scenes and mostly Chaos and Genestealers.

Eventually, they heard the distinctive noise of bolter and Las fire. Moving quickly towards the source, they found a large chamber that had been turned into a makeshift Kill-room by a group of Astartes and Stormtroopers. The Imperial Lions recognized each other and mutually shouted not to open fire. Jumping down from the gantry being used to provide higher ground Sergeant Enar, the leader of the squad sent in first moved towards the Inquisitor with his face snarling with rage.

His helmet was gone, torn apart off by Genestealers claws that had also taken his right eye and left a nasty gouge on his face. "YOU KNEW!" he roared grabbing the Inquisitor by his collar. "YOU KNEW THIS WAS A BLACK SHIP AND WHAT MIGHT BE HERE! YOU DEPLOYED MY BROTHERS AND YOUR OWN TROOPS INTO WHAT AS WELL WOULD BE A DEATH TRAP!" Calmly responding Stigler spoke "Yes we needed to know the capabilities of this base and if it was what we thought it was. You performed admirably, Ex-Inquisitor Kryptman's vessel will be soon under our command"

Releasing his grip all while still glaring at Stigler, Enar continued "How? How? Are they doing this, domesticated Genestealers are unheard of?" At that Stigler's eyes widened "Explain Astartes, what do you mean?" The Sergeant snarled "Iron Warriors had set up choke points and kill-boxes we could avoid them fairly easily and work our way around them until the Genestealers showed up. We were herded like Grox into a pen. The twelve of us are all that's left of the main force. We forced our way into one of their ambush points and made it ours. I have no idea where the hell your Deathwatch team is, hopefully not dead thanks to your idiocy and decision to use us as bait you wretch!"

Ignoring the irate Astartes and frowning at this news Stigler had his forces relieve the besieged survivors. Then turn their makeshift camp into a forward base. By dawn, almost all of the vessel was sterilized by Bolt and Flame. All that was left was the sealed off internal laboratory complex. It was a custom modification to the vessel that seemed to be shut from the Inside, and they're still was no sign of the Deathwatch Kill Team.

As the last scans and patrols of the Womb finished up a discussion raged about trying to force open the inner lab. Some were worried that they would activate some sort of defense that at best would destroy the contents of the lab, at worse wipe out the planet. The slowly growing debate ended quickly when the Vault doors to the lab began to slowly open. A Single Deathwatch Astartes stood them, a Somber looking Techmarine had managed to open the door from the inside. The Techmarine simply said: "Lord Inquisitor you'd better come see this."

Time/Place 398 010.M42 / Echidna's Womb: Inside Kryptman's Vault

Lord Inquisitor Stigler and his Squad of Astartes were the first to follow the Techmarine into the laboratory. The Chamber was massive and utterly horrifying. Countless pieces of equipment that ranged from the mundane to tools of pain and mutation littered the chamber, but the centerpiece of the room was the most twisted sight. A Massive throne-cocoon Stood anchored to Adamantium support pillars. Its occupant was a truly Massive Xeno of obviously Tyranid-kin. The Imperial Knight sized creature had its arms chained to the pillars and it seemed to be asleep, or dead. In front of it on a dais was a kneeling Old Man. His arms covered in Chains, wires, and tubes that linked him to the monster.

Four Deathwatch members stood around this curious display. All with weapons trained on the Monster or the Man. Stigler then heard a slight scuttling noise and realized the another worrying aspect of this already disturbing room. The Walls and Ceiling were covered in Genestealers of all shape and size. He and his Squad were just about to open fire on the Xenos when the Techmarine spoke "Don't sir, we have reached a...compromise" The chained old man's head slowly looked up to peer at them, as he did the Giant Xeno's head mimicked the action in almost perfect unison. Slowly Standing the withered looking man began to smile. Stigler suddenly stopped all movement and became rigid as he recognized the face. Even after centuries of age and countless injuries the face of Ex-Lord Inquisitor Kryptman was distinct and burned into Stigler's memory.

With a raspy voice that spoke of his advanced years, he spoke: "I am glad fellow servants of the Imperium have found me, I was beginning I would be here forever crafting abominations for the Iron Warriors." The Deathwatch leader then spoke. "We found the heretic in here with a Warpsmith and his retinue. Before they could attack us the Genestealers tore them to pieces and did not attack us." Kryptmans cracked lips smiled "But of course you are my rescuers and I would much prefer to work with the Imperium and my former colleagues than these traitors." Every hand gesture or slight movement Kryptman made was mimicked by the colossal Xeno as if it was some gigantic grotesque puppet.

Stigler approached the Dais and spoke "You were declared Carta Extremis for your actions and after centuries of hunting we find you here among Traitors and Madmen. Which is fitting for you are a traitor and a madman. If my Puritan comrade were here they would have killed you and be done with it. Luckily for you, we need your assistance" Kryptman's eyes widened and he smirked. "So it seems the forces of the Warmaster are not the only one having trouble with what I have named Hivefleet Ghoul."

Kryptman continued with an almost casual air "The Cannibal World? The Doom of Fodder III? The Spawn-Planet? I assume that's why you're here. My former captives were under orders by The Despoiler himself to capture me. I had all manner of contingencies and traps for the Imperium if they ever came calling but I had never considered that the Great Enemy would." Stigler asked, "Why did the traitors want you?" " Oh, the same reason you do I assume, my expertise on the Great Devourer. They used all manner of methods to pry all the information they could get out of me." He adjusted his semi-ragged robes to show countless scars and marks that crisscrossed his emaciated form.

The normally enthusiastic and flamboyant Stigler's face was a mask of cold resolve. "That is informing but does not explain That!" motioning to the Puppet-Beast behind Kryptman. With a sad smile, Kryptman motioned to the beast, which arms copied the action. "Echidna here is a Tyranid Norn Queen. Lobotomized and linked to me, I act as her higher reasoning which allows me control over her spawn" With a Gesture a Genestealer descended from the ceiling and made the sign of the Aquilla with all four of its arms. One of the Deathwatch members promptly shot it. "Well that was not very nice" sighed Kryptman. The furious Deathwatch members spoke "You are the priority target and we are under orders to capture you alive. That does not mean I have to let you commit such heresy"

Stigler then asked "How are you alive? You were reaching the point where rejuve treatments barely help even before you were declared rogue." Kryptman started to chuckle "At first raw determination and a few secrets bartered from a Haemonculi kept me going but once I was captured, other more… unorthodox methods were used" He gestured to his chains and noticed a string of tubes that pumped his blood into the monster and it's into him.

A disgusted Stigler walked firmly up to Kryptman and handed him a Scroll that was sealed by Guilliman's own insignia. Ripping it open Kryptman read it and a foul smile split across his face. "My My, you really are desperate, A stay of execution for as long as I help against The Devouring World? huh, so that's what you're calling me?. Oh, and if I satisfactory assist you I will be pardoned for my crimes against the Imperium and spend the rest of my days toiling away in the service of…. Well. well. well, the rumors are true Primarch Roboute Guilliman is among the living." Handing the letter back to Stigler he continued "I accept this most generous offer and the full sum of my knowledge and power is at your disposal."

Taking a deep breath Kryptman seemed to focus, one by one the Genestealers dropped dead and the Norn-Queen seemed to shudder and the blood flowing in the tubes into Kryptman went from red to pure black. Kryptman seemed to rejuvenate in front of their eyes. Muscle grew, skin and hair color returned and the Astartes could almost sense his Telomeres being repaired. The Tyranid Mother slumped over dead and drained and Kryptman detached himself from the syringes, cords, and chains with unnatural strength. Cracking his ancient bones he flexed and simply said: "The Life Blood of a Hivefleet does wonders for an old man such as myself." And with that, The Hunt for Hive Fleet Ghoul began in earnest.


	5. Chapter 5- What is Dead Can not Die

Chapter 5 - What is Dead Can not Die

Time/Place 403 010.M42 / Battle-Barge Courage of Carolus in orbit of Grim Salvage.

The Shuttle's doors opened with a burst of atmosphere as Ex-Inquisitor Kryptman was led via chains into the Hanger by two Deathwatch Members. Countless weapons were trained on him and an explosive collar was wrapped around his neck. Yet with all that, Stigler still felt wary and uncertain. Two centuries and a half of experience told him that Kryptman was exactly where he wanted to be and the Heretic was holding all the cards.

The arriving shuttle also housed boxes upon boxes of scrolls and records of Kryptman's research and experimentation. A mixed group of Servitors and Acolytes emptied the Shuttle before scuttling off with the data for it be examined and copied. Chapter Master Gustavus along with Inquisitor Heimdall waited at the end of the Hangar watching all this. "Could have one of your Librarians dig the information we need out his brain work? The quicker we can be done with him and execute the madman the better" whispered Heimdall. "Sadly no, Stigler's Mystic tried already and is still comatose, he must have wards on him of some kind," replied Gustavus.

Kryptman strolled up to the Astartes and Inquisitor with a casual gait, he then reached out a hand to greet his captors. They looked at him as if he had just held out a chunk of human offal to them. Rolling his eyes the disturbingly calm ex-Inquisitor sighed and began to speak "I must thank you for rescuing me from the Iron Warriors but is the bombardment of Grim Salvage really necessary?" He spoke of course of the righteous fury the Imperial Lions were unleashing upon the Chaos Infested world below. Inquisitor Heimdall snorted in derision "As if you're one to talk about unnecessary actions, we are conducting our duty as servants of the Imperium. You committed acts infinitely more destructive than this on loyal Imperial Worlds!"

Smiling a soft sad smile Kryptman responded "I did what I had to do, I did not have the luxury to count the costs. Those of the Ordo Malleus should know that better than any-" Kryptmans speech suddenly stopped and his eyes widened as his face became a rictus of fear. "We need to leave now, it's found us." before anyone could could ask they felt what had struck fear into the seemingly unflappable Krypman. The horrid Psychic scream of Hive-Fleet Ghoul reverberated in every sentients mind as it ripped into reality.

*Constant never ending screaming, constant constant constant.

Except for those few moments… so short...so sweet.

Another voice sang in the void, it was so small and weak. Then the song was snuffed out while still in the beginning of its melody.

Now there was nothing but Screaming. Screaming and my hunger.*

Time/Place 403 010.M42 / Battle-Barge Courage of Carolus In the New Lochos System.

Sensors and scanners began to light up as the abomination lumbered into realspace. The Chapter Master, The Inquisitors, and their prisoner rushed to the command bridge, just to see the Warp Rift shut and the Devouring World began to move. Gustavus paused mid stride and looked at the Monster taking up most of the Viewport. "It's much bigger than it was" was all The Chapter Master could say. This statement was an understatement born of shock. The Devouring World had swollen tremendously, going from Luna Size, to at least twice that of Terran standard.

The grotesque Super planet's surface was smeared with the wreckage of Starships, Chunks of Hive Cities and even the equipment entire armies that had dared to land directly on the beast. Its maw and tendrils were hidden as the corpse world drifted slowly but steadily towards Grim Salvage. Its growth had changed its appearance fundamentally. New layers of twisted flesh and broken stone had increased its size and gave it an almost fleshy necrotic look. All those in the fleet with even a modicum of Psychic talent could physically feel its immense pressure, and even the psychic neutrals had a vague sense that something was horribly wrong.

Inquisitor Heimdall gritted her teeth against the foul presence, in her years of service she had encountered many horrifying monsters. Nothing came close to this, even the assault on a partial Daemon World 15 years back was nothing compared to this. The worst part is it was not even attacking them and had not seemed to have noticed the Fleet watching it. This effect was simply its presence, the presence of a being of such intelligence and power that reality itself trembled at it. It was Kryptman who broke the dreadful silence with the curt comment "Hmmm I thought we would have more time before it found me."

Whirling on the imprisoned heretic almost in unison the Joint-Leaders of the task force ordered him to explain what he meant. Kryptman driely explained "Well once we figured out what exactly the Devouring World was, we conducted some experiments in order to reproduce the phenomena. We underestimated our creation and it started calling out for its "kin" I killed it after we traced the psychic signals it had been sending. I was not about to allow another one of these abominations to be released upon the Cosmos." Heimdall barked "So it has also been hunting you… That's why your Ship moved between planets. How is it tracking you?" Apparently, the creature transmitted its, last moments of me dousing it in flaming promethium and its psychic signature. Xeno bastard sought revenge it appears, and Hive-Fleet Ghoul is more than happy to wreak that vengeance upon me for killing its only kin ."

Before any more questions could be asked by the leaders of the Task-force the Devouring World started to transform. Tendrils and its maw erupted from it alongside new insidious adaptations. Great orifices opened on its side, spilling clouds of fleshy attack craft creatures into the void. Everything about the Devouring World looked more vicious, even deadlier... Every sentient in the sector suddenly felt as if had something brushed up against their mind, and something had. The Devouring World was using its incredible psychic might to look for its Kin-Slayer. Sifting through the Nine billion minds of the New Lochos System as if they were grains of sand on a beach the Monster quickly found its target.

Space/time shivered as a great Psychic roar of fury came from the Beast. The Immaterial Pressure it created was focused on the Task-Force Fleet. A few hundred serfs and other weak willed crew members died from raw power focused on the ship before the Gellar Fields could be initiated. The Tech Priests informed Fleet Command that the Gellar fields were experiencing Warpstorm class interference from the Devouring Worlds assault, and the fields might fail. After almost being shot/stabbed/throttled by the Inquisitors, Kryptman begins to Explain as the Fleet moved to distance themselves from the rapidly approaching Monster.

"No that was not an attack, it was its equivalent of focusing its attention. Mentally and physically we are to it what bacteria and viruses are to us. We are the Yeast in its bread. This thing is beyond us and I am an infection that killed its brother." Everything snapped into place for the Inquisitors. Kryptman was so eager to work with them because he knew this thing was after him, and even Chaos could not kill it and hoped the Imperium might have a better shot.

Heimdall growled "We want answers Kryptman, all of them. Torture might not work get us the information we want, but it would be intensely cathartic for the annoyance and pain you have caused us." Kryptman smiled slightly and spoke "You will have them, but first we have more pressing concerns. I have escaped from Hive-Fleet Ghoul four times and I believe my expertise will be invaluable in surviving this. Before Inquisitor Heimdall could retort Chapter Master Gustavus turned from the helm and said "He is right, the last time I fought this thing it was not nearly as massive, and we barely drove it off. It besmirches my pride as an Astartes but we will need his knowledge to slaughter the Devouring World." With that the Astartes moved with surprising speed to be right in front of Kryptman. He held the Heretics head in between his massive hands giving him a slightly painful squeeze as he whispered: "But remember Madman, The Enemy of my Enemy Dies Second."

Time/Place 403 010.M42 / Battle-Barge Courage of Carolus, Two Light Seconds from the Devouring World.

Kryptman smiled wryly at them and began to speak. "First Keep your Distance, it possesses no known weapons capable of hitting outside of distances equal to Luna Orbit. Second, anything that comes in contact with it must be purged with Holy promethium. Lastly, we should avoid Exterminatus class weaponry if we can. The Black Legion tried that and it's biomorphs intercepted the Weapons and detonated them before they could get close enough." with that the fleet prepared for combat.

One Battle Barge, Two Inquisitorial Black Ships, Four Battle Cruisers, and fifteen Escort craft were the forces at the disposal of the Task Force. Macro Cannons and Lances blistered the Crust-Hide of their foe in great barrages. It's great psychic roars flexed the Gellar Fields of the ships as it pursued them. They were well outside the maximum engagement distance for Imperial Vessels, but they could more than afford the decreased accuracy with their target being literally planet sized. They led the abomination like a kite on a string throughout the system, attempting to whittle away its considerable bulk.

Kryptman approved of this sensible strategy, he had told them quite ardently to stay as far away as possible from it and its "Dragnet" of Bioforms that it was leaving a trail of was. This strategy seemed to be working, the beast was splintering bit by bit, that was until long range scans showed it had suddenly stopped its pursuit. Scans showed a massive energy spike coming from their foe. They had no time to react before a blast of Heat and light tore through the fleet. Three Escort craft were atomized, and one Battle cruiser was neatly bisected by the Beam of energy.

It seemed the Devouring World had gained a Nova Cannon class weapon. Thankfully the Task-Fleet had spread out in order to lead their shots. If that had not been the case they would all have been destroyed in a gout of energy. "Well, it appears Ghoul has developed a long range weapon" was all Kryptman could say. Scattering the fleet even further, void servitors collected samples form the destroyed ships, the Magos's to study. They quickly identified it as a superheated bile equivalent. The Devouring World had vomited its leftovers at them at nearly the speed of light.

Auger Probes circling the Monster indicated that it had grown huge fleshy turret/spouts. That seemed to be built to launch this type of Bio Plasma in a colossal shotcannon spread pattern. Worrying enough other Growths of unknown purpose were also appearing, With the original plan it the Inquisitors agreed to use their trump card...

Time/Place 404 010.M42 / Battle-Barge Courage of Carolus, 1/2 Light Seconds from the Devouring World.

Inquisitor Stigler's vessel held a particular weapon that could be their salvation. A Two Stage Cyclonic Torpedo. This holy weapon of righteous doom did not simply annihilate a planet's surface but it shattered it into stone and dust. This bane of many Necron Tomb Worlds was their final option against their foe. Kryptman relented in his protests when they explained the plan of attack. A Flight of Attack Craft would protect the Torpedo from the Ghoulspawn biomorphs, that formed a protective net around the Devouring World. The Brave men and women of the 42nd Lion Interceptor Squad knew their chances of surviving this sortie were slim to none. They were honored with their last prayer being led by the High Chaplain of the Imperial Lions, and they faced their mission with the grim resolve and steadfast courage that has allowed humanity to conquer the stars.

The Attack Wing had attached themselves to the Inquisitorial Black Ships and prepared for the battle. As the Black Ship ripped open reality and prepared to micro jump with the 300 hundred pilots of the 42nd in its hangar the rest of the Fleet opened fire. This was no kiting or whittling operation but the full force of an Astartes Chapter Fleet blasting away at the Cannibal Planet. They closed the distance allowing for more vicious and accurate attacks.

The Fleet weaved through the void dodging the massive geysers of Bioplasma spat at them. Their Shields and Armor held out against huge towers of Spiked Bone that erupted from the Devouring World as hideous parodies Macro-Cannon shells. From every ship except the Inquisition's a battle cry roared out "KAISER MIT UNS!" the Imperial Lions home dialect for The Emperor is With us! And their battle cry. They had a target worthy of their hate and they intended to blast this crime against the Imperium and all that was sane and holy out of existence.

With the Monster focused on them it paid no attention to the Warp ripple behind it. Using secret archotech The Black Ship silently entered reality directly behind the Devouring World from the Warp and let loose its ultimate sanction. The Colossal Torpedo roared into the void, it's machine spirit guiding it onward with insane self-destructive glee. It was born to die and would kill all it could. The Pilots swarmed around it guarding and guiding the instrument of Doom. The advance wing that flew at the tip of the formation was the first to feel it. As if something was whispering in the back of their mind. They were also the first to die. Masses of hands teeth and claws suddenly lunged out of the void. Thousand mile chains of rotting malicious flesh hung behind the Devouring Moon like the stingers of a jellyfish of Ancient Terra. A great net of corrupted and contorted tissue lay between them and their target, and the net was alive and hungry.

Time/Place 404 010.M42 / The 42nd Lion Interceptors, in the Devouring Worlds Net.

The Void Came to life as the Interceptors fired at the great chains of flesh that undulated and grasped out at them. They ducked and dodged through the net tearing it to pieces with flurries of Multilaser shots. The Torpedo kept lumbering forward as its escorts shredded the Bioforms. They did not even have to aim or track their shots for the void was thick with living offal that fought back. Fighters would occasionally be caught by masses of tissue that grabbed hold and slither into it eating it and its pilot alive.

Furiously the Interceptor Wing cut through the organic net keeping it away from their apocalyptic cargo. Their guns and missiles reduced hundreds of tons of the corpse-web into a thin paste, but it constantly reconnected and grew more. For every blow inflicted on the flesh something new mutated and the Net became more and more tangled around them. Thankfully they were close, the World's gravity was now helping the Torpedo as it thundered closer to the Devouring World. Its exhaust and the Crafts attacks could only burn away some of the corruption congealing around them. The 42nd found themselves in a pocket of void surrounded on all sides by the web of mutation.

Yet they pushed forward, blasting and purging a path. All the while screaming hymns of hate and fury to none but themselves as more and more of the 300 craft were tangled up and consumed. Four hours they battled in a mad push to reach the bane of life that was before them. The last contact the Black Ship had with any of the pilots was a garbled Vox transmission "Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die, salute you!" None know how that message came through for it was an impossibility to the laws of the material for the signal to make it through the walls of flesh and taint.

Soon after that the Devouring World convulsed and stopped firing at the Task-Fleet that had lost all but one of its Battle Cruisers and eleven of its escorts. Great cracks opened up on the twisted crust of their foe as the Torpedo burrowed deeper and deeper into its fetid heart. The Machine Spirit of the weapon of Exterminatus laughed psychotically in binary, as its melta charge cooled and it felt its existence come to a close. With a blast of righteous flame and fury, the Devouring World was shattered.

Continent sized chunks of stone and boiling flesh were hurled into the void. As the corona of the Cyclonic Torpedo faded and the shattered world came into view Kryptman was the first to speak. His voice bitter and ugly "We need to leave now, It's not dead." Inquisitor Heimdall began to protest but Gustavus stopped her and pointed to two of the larger chunks of what had been their foe. City sized cords of sinew and muscle were reaching out and lashing the pieces together. Even after being obliterated by the fury of the Inquisition and the Astartes it was reassembling itself. It is a cancer on reality that refused to be excised. For it is dead and what is Dead can not Die.


	6. Chapter 6- Hungry Gods

Chapter 6 - Hungry Gods

Time/Place 405 010.M42 / Battle-Barge Courage of Carolus, fleeing the New Lochos System

Lances, Macro Cannons, Warp-Craft, and Exterminatus; The Devouring World had withstood all that the Imperium and the Forces of Chaos could throw at it. It had been blasted, burned, and even reduced to rubble but it still carried on in horrific un-life. The Task Force Fleet could only watch in horror as The Corpse Orb pulled itself back together. They continued to fire upon it, but the effects were negligible. The Monster was not only regenerating but regenerating faster and faster.

As the Devouring World pulled itself back together the fleet retreated into the Immaterium countless prayers were said to the Emperor as the fleet massed and prepared to jump into the Warp. They fled the Monster and set a course of an unknown system in the Halo Stars Kryptman had told them about, a place he referred to as "the beginning of the abomination."

Time/Place 449 010.M42 / Despoiled Citadel: Black Legion Star Fort

Things should be going well for the Black Legion, Cadia had Fallen, the Galaxy was sundered and the forces of Chaos rampaged through the Imperiums husk. Yet the Servants of the Dark Powers were not experiencing the fruits of their grim labors but hurriedly preparing to survive the gathering storm. None, not even Moriana: Damned Seer of the Despoiler had predicted what occurred. Just when Victory seemed inevitable and the Warmaster was mustering his forces to attack Terra itself, Roboute Guilliman rose from the Dead.

A Primarch had returned to the Imperium and at the head of a new Crusade unlike any since the Great Scouring. The Chaos Legions were being slowly but surely driven back by the Lord of Ultramar and his Legions of Primaris Astartes. The Thirteenth Black Crusade may have succeeded in breaking Cadia but it was slowly being routed by New Warriors and Weapons that reaped a grim toll on the Traitors. Even with the news that Guilliman's damned kin Magnus, Fulgrim, and Mortarion were marching to war things still looked grim for the Forces of Chaos. They were not facing the old crumbling Imperium but a reborn one lead by a legendary Demi-God. To make matters worse entire Worlds in service to the Dark Powers were disappearing, One by One, as if they were lights being winked out, entire Planets and systems were being destroyed. The Culprit seemed impossible to even Veterans of the Eye of Terror, a Cannibal Planet.

If not for the fact entire Fleets that had been lost to it this Devouring World would have just been considered a legend told to scare whelps. Countless attack against it had been crushed and only one Champion of the Dark Gods had shown any skill at dealing with it. Limax Champion of Nurgle and Dark-Admiral of the 66th Fleet was the first to survive an encounter with the Devouring World and since then had gained a reputation for being able to minimize the damage it inflicted upon the forces of Chaos. Due to this, his Fleet had been summoned to the Despoiled Citadel in order to receive new commands from the Warmaster of Chaos himself, Abaddon the Despoiler.

Limax entered into the temporary throne room of The Despoiler. Monsters, minions, and other hanger-on's filled the chamber, all engaged in the court intrigue of Chaos. At the end of the room stood Him, Abaddon the Despoiler, Lord of the Black Legion and Warmaster of Chaos Undivided. Limax, a master of traveling the Warp had felt nothing in his millennia of experience akin to The Despoiler. Most souls gave off a spark of energy in the Warp and made tiny ripples in the fabric of the Immaterium. Abaddons soul was a twisted exaggeration of the typical. To Limax's Warp-sight it appeared like a black hole, a mass of such darkness and power that it threatened the sanity of all near him. Being in the same room as the Warmaster was often enough to break even other champions through sheer Chaos imbued force of will.

Champion Limax kneeled before Abaddon, who was facing away from him leisurely torturing an Imperial Officer. Speaking with a deep brutal voice the Despoiler addressed his subordinate. "I hear that our guest Kryptman has fallen into Imperial hands, that is disappointing news. Limax you have done an adequate job harassing the Devouring World, many a planet under my rule would have been consumed if not for your service. Yet even after being elevated to Champion of Nurgle and being granted anything and everything to deal with this threat you have not gotten results. The Cannibal Planet still hunts and that must change." he stopped his speech to carve profane runes into the screaming imperials flesh with his Talons.

Casually lacerating the former Vice-Admirals skin he continued: "This servant of the Corpse Emperor not only sold out his subordinates and superiors to us but then had the gall to demand greater rewards than he earned. I gave him what he desired, I gave him immortality and a place in my court. His soul is bound to his flesh and can not leave until I will it. He could have served me and my Legion and earned those rewards but he was foolish and petulant." With surprising delicacy, the Warmaster ripped the mans still beating heart out of his chest and let it sit in the palm of his colossal Talon.

Turning to Limax he spoke again "My servants in the shadows inform me that a curious Imperial Fleet has been spotted in the Halo Stars, this fleet matches descriptions of the one that stole Kryptman and battled our foe, it appears Guilliman has sent some of his forces to deal with the Devouring World also. Find them, Kill Them and use whatever knowledge you can acquire from Kryptman to destroy this threat to my Legion. This is your last opportunity Limax, do not disappoint me like so many other wretches and fools have." With that, the power-field of The Talon of Horus flared to life atomizing the Officer's heart. The man let out one final painful wail and slumped over dead, his soul fed to the Dark Gods.

Time/Place 453 010.M42 / Battle Barge Courage of Carolus in the Spawnhole system.

The Task Force fleet had a surprisingly easy Warp-Jump to the system Kryptman had told them about. Usually travel this close to the Eye was exceptionally arduous, especially after the opening of the Great Rift. When asked about it the Navigator commented on how the Warp seemed almost calm, lacking most of the background noise universal in the Immaterium. They arrived in a seemingly innocuous System with a Type G Main Sequence Star populated by a few gas giants and barren planets. Aside from the atypically large Asteroid belt, it was like countless star systems that were not even worth given proper names.

"What now Heretic?" Inquisitor Heimdall was agitated and paranoid, as natural for an Inquisitor in an unknown situation. Kryptman looked out the main viewport and began to speak. "You wanted answers and I shall deliver, This system is where the Devouring World as you call Hive-Fleet Ghoul was born. Emerging into the Galaxy near the Halo Stars, Hive Fleet Ghoul was originally a standard tendril of the Great Devourer seeking organic matter to absorb. Ghoul had the misfortune of finding a System near the Eye of Terror known simply to the only being who visited it as Spawnhole, which is our current location. Spawnhole gained its name because for as long as even the ancients of the Traitor legions could remember none useful Chaos Spawn have been discarded here."

" Hive-Fleet Ghoul arrived and went about its business, reawakening from hibernation and begin feeding on the world of Exile. The entire surface of that world was covered in billions upon billions of constantly mutating Chaos Spawn. The Hivefleet began to devour this world, and the hoards of abominations that made Exile their home, in turn, began to feed on the fleets Biomorphs. After centuries of this constant orgy of consumption, carnage, and chaos, there was no difference between Spawn and Tyranid. The entire world was one massive organism born of obscene mutagenic gluttony. A Continent sized mass of twisted broken flesh that constantly consumed itself was all that remained of the twin abominations unleashed on Exile. Separated from the hivemind and the Dark Powers of the Warp this new being burrowed into its world and fused with it."

"A mass of twisted flesh and corrupted stone unified by the overpowering insane hunger of Chaos and the Tyranids was born. The Devouring World as it would become known came into being with a single overpowering urge, Eat. Its warp-attuned spawn-blood is why it can make short warp Jumps as you have seen. Thankfully lacking the Shadow in the Warp of its Tyranid ancestors this mass of corruption lurches through the warp mistaken for a particularly large Space Hulk by those who can sense such things. Eventually, it screamed into existence near the edge of the Eye of Terror."

"I don't know how long it stalked that hellish void, devouring Chaos and Imperial forces alike. Although It seems to hold a special hatred for the forces of Chaos and has more actively attacked Worlds and fleets of Chaos. Worse yet with every planet, it consumes it grows in size and intellect. Its mind has the combined psychic might of trillions of beings and I shudder to think what Warp-Born powers it may learn as it ages. This thing must be killed as quickly as possible before it grows even stronger"

Looking aghast the leaders of the Task force pondered this information, it filled in so many holes in their investigation and explained the creature and its abilities. Stigler's Inquisitorial intuition nagged at him so he asked a simple question "How did you acquire this information?" Kryptmans lips parted in a thin smile "Three sources. First, Chaos Forces that observed it and touched its mind. Second, my own studies and samples acquired from it and experiments on my mimicry of it. Third and most importantly my new patron." With those sinister words, the fleet's sensors blared to live as what had thought to be an Asteroid field began to stir to life.

A Bolter, a Hellgun and a Power Sword were all leveled at Kryptman in unison. Claxons wailed and thousands of Serfs and Acolytes prepared the ships for battle, the Asteroid field erupted into motion, revealing their true nature, Tyranids. Great chunks of ice sloughing of the awakening armada of Hive-Ships. "Explain Kryptman, or I swear by the Emperor I will kill you as painfully as possible!" Heimdall's' eyes burned with righteous fury as the colossal fleet of Xenos closed in. Bio-Cannons and Feeder Tendrils unfurled from the Tyranids, and the Task Forces moved to battle stations.

They were outnumbered at least 1000:1 by the Xeno's, the battle could not be won and the fleet would die today with a prayer on their lips and hatred in their heart. Before the Imperials or Tyranids could open fire Kryptman nonchalantly snapped his fingers and the Tyranid Fleet seemed to shut off like a Machine that's energy flow was disrupted. Kryptman walked slowly towards the weapons aimed at him and began to speak "The Tyranids are under my command, kill me and they will consume you all and then head towards Imperial Space to wreak havoc. There is nearly a Hivefleet worth of them in and around this System. It would be the final blow to the already struggling Imperium. Do not waste your lives or the lives of trillions" Motioning to the soldiers on the Bridge to hold fire The triumvirate of hunters glared at their prisoner turned capturer as they relented.

"Kill us or don't Kryptman, we will not be used as pawns in whatever mad schemes you have concocted" spat Gustavus. Kryptman just chuckled and began to speak "Kill you? Oh no, not at all what my patron wants. You are going to help us, for our goals are same." "Your patron? Who or what are you serving Kryptman? How the Warp are you controlling those Tyranids?" said Stigler, his ever curious mind hungry for knowledge and weapons to use against the Great Devourer. Kryptman gave a sad little smile before speaking "I thought it was obvious, The Tyranids are my patrons"

Stunned shock rippled through the Bridge as the Ex-Inquisitor continued "For centuries I fought them, using every resource and power at my disposal to hurt the Devourer. I failed bitterly, I was but an Ant attacking a Titan. In my desperation to save this Galaxy and countless others, I attempted a truly insane scheme. Using knowledge I stole, artifacts I found and methods best left unsaid I managed to reach out and touch the Tyranid Hive Mind, in turn, it touched me." Kryptmans eyes seemed to glaze over as the intense memories of joining the Synaptic Web came to focus. "There are no words for it, it's the most beautiful and yet horrible thing to feel the mind of something… so ancient, so powerful, so utterly perfect. It recognized me like how leukocytes recognize a virus. It could have easily destroyed my mind, body, and soul, with just a flicker of psychic might."

Deepening into his trance Kryptmans eyes and very soul shifted, the taint of the Great Devourer was deep within him and for a brief minute they were not speaking to Kryptman but something else... "We decided to use the thing in this Galaxy that had hurt us most to help us finish our meal. We gave him the choice between being consumed and being one with us. The flesh you know as Kryptman is now as much part of me as me as the forms you call Gaunt or Hive Tyrant. This Galaxy shall become one with us much as the thousand before it have, We are hungry and we are coming." Kryptman's eyes cleared up and he seemed almost unsteady for a second, for a split second they saw shock and confusion on his face before the oily confidence of the Ex-Inquisitor Returned.

The Triumvirate all had different reactions to this seemingly impossible revelation. Gustavus was filled with pure and utter Contempt, their foe was not simply a heretic and a madman but a Xeno-tainted Traitor. Stigler was in a mix of shock and horror, if Kryptman was not lying then this Devouring World was the least of their worries and the Tyranids were a far more insidious threat. Heimdall was a mass or rage and hate, and the first to speak "HOW DARE YOU! YOU WERE A SERVANT OF THE EMPEROR, A SERVANT OF HUMANITY! YOU WOULD BETRAY US JUST FOR THE LUXURY OF BEING EATEN LAST BY A XENO-MONSTER THAT IS NOTHING BUT HUNGER!?" At this Kryptman laughed. "Oh Myla, all the Gods are Hungry. Chaos for Emotions, The God-Emperor for souls, and the Yngir ate the Stars. Gods by nature are hungry greedy beings, but my God… Well my God is at least honest about it and allows us to live on as part of it."

Stepping towards the Viewport, looking at the masses of Tyranids Kryptman quietly spoke "We all die, from age, diseases, or conflict we die for there is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods. My God is the answer, we shall all join with it, our flesh will be its flesh, our souls will be its soul, our minds shall be one. The Great Devourer is beyond anything we can even begin to imagine, and even it fears the Devouring World. It is the nature of things for Fathers to Kill Sons and Sons to Kill Fathers, the Imperium knows that better than most. The Cannibal Planet must die before it threatens its sire."

Without a Word, Heimdall walked up to Kryptman and looked him in his ancient eyes. In a half whisper, she spoke: "I have a message for the Hive-Mind, something to tell this False God." Kryptman's eyes glazed over as he joined with his Patron. Heimdall marshaled the full cold fury of humanity and spoke to the Great Devouring itself. "We will kill the Devouring World, then we will Kill you, and any other Emperor-Damned abomination that stands in our way" Without another word she suddenly shot Kryptman in the kneecap. The Tainted-Madman crumpled to the floor, shouting in pain. The Ordo Malleus Inquisitor kicked Kryptman onto his back and shot his other Knee out. Kryptman roared in pain as Heimdall leveled the Stubber at his face and spat on him. Kryptman shrieked "You fools, you have doomed billions through your ignorance. The Tyranids will awaken and... and...what?" Kryptman felt a sudden absence, the whispers of the Hive were silent.

Stigler joined his comrade towering over the crippled Traitor and spoke: "It seems Lord Cawl's invention works, Lord Guilliman seemed skeptical but these new Synapse Breaker Shells work." Heimdall smiled, a smile devoid of kindness and mirth, a smile of a shark seeing its prey. "Kryptman, you betrayed not just humanity but the Galaxy to the Xeno. As long as those rounds are in your flesh you are separated from the Hivemind, Apparently, these are Experimental Deathwatch weapons but the Lord Commander figured they might be useful" Upon learning that Kryptman stopped squirming in pain and just looked at them with pleading aged eyes. In a desperate croaking whisper he spoke: "Kill me, please kill me while it can not touch my mind or influence me now, for the love the Emperor KILL ME BEFORE THE BOARD IS SET!" Was he faking? He was separated from the Hive Mind, had he really been corrupted by it. Before they could ask anything The Klaxons began to wail, the Tyranids were stirring and reality was trembling. A War was coming to Spawnhole, a War between Hungry Gods.


	7. Chapter 7- Corpse Strewn Void

Chapter 7 - Corpse strewn Void

Time/Place 454 010.M42 / The Spawnhole System.

Reality shuddered as twin Warp Rifts appeared at opposite sides of the System. From one, thousands of Chaos Craft spilled. Ranging from Lumbering Despoiler and Desecrator Class Battleships to swarms of Escort Iconoclasts. It was a Grand Fleet assembled by the Warmasters servants to destroy their foe. The Other rift was a massive gash that slowly widened as it disgorged its creator. The Devouring World had become truly hideous, its surface crawled with legions of Corpse-Beings that guarded fortresses of Bone. Continent Sized Tendrils undulated around its fetid bulk as its colossal Maw pushed through its mantle. It was no longer a lost hungry infant but a great and terrible being that had survived countless attempts on its unlife and strove to devour and destroy the lesser flesh that had dared attack it.

This was truly a grim situation. Three Forces stood against the Task-Force and each other, each powerful enough to wipe out entire sectors. This was a Clash of the Titans and the Imperials were stuck in the middle of it. Chapter Master Gustavus Carl had lived half a dozen centuries and had fought in many truly horrific battles, and he was one of the finest Void-Masters of the Astartes. Yet he knew victory was an impossibility, his Chapter would survive on their homeworld and The Fleet would be honored as Heroes, His duty now in this no-win situations is to make his foes suffer a thousand fold for each Imperial life they took. Gustavus took the helm and prepared his fleet to duel the Giants surrounding him. The Inquisitor's acolytes dragged the suffering Kryptman into the bowels of the ship, for their masters to ply their trade on him and gain the whole truth of the situation.

The Imperial Fleet moved together like a shoal of fish fleeing a shark. The Ring of Hive-Ships moved as one, uncurling from their position around the star. The grotesque flesh-belt preparing to strike as one against the prey appearing before it. Limax's Chaos Fleet was composed of two wildly different forces. The core of the fleet was composed of proud servants of Chaos and ships of the Black Legion, a true fleet worthy of the Despoilers sigil and a symbol of his might. Surrounding the Elites of the Legion was the second half of the fleet. Composed of untold numbers of battered and broken vessels inhabited by legions of the Lost and the Damned. Limax pioneered this strategy of using lesser battle groups composed of Pirates and Cultists as meatshields for his main core fleet.

Like the Imperials, Traitors, and Tyranids The Devouring World prepared for war. Its fetid bulk disgorged huge chunks of rotten flesh that molted grotesque membranes revealing their true form. Space-Hulks infested by the Cannibal Worlds flesh-forms for the purpose of being gigantic twisted escort craft. The World and its Spawn-Hulk escorts bristled with weapons of organic and profane nature. Fusions of Tyranids Biomorphs and Daemon Weapons that dribbled with acid and warp-stuff. The Devouring World had forged itself for war and was ready to crush all who dare face it.

The Battle of Spawnhole truly started with the Devouring World letting loose its Psychic Roar. Its foes had learned how to counter with that particular ability but it cared not, for this was not just an attack but a challenge. A challenge to the supremacy of the Primordial Annihilator and the Great Devourer. This Galaxy was the Cannibal Worlds to consume and its forebearers were naught but morsels it would consume. The Hivemind and the Dark Gods responded in kind. The Hungry Gods were going to war.

Hordes of Tyranids descended on its unholy offspring. Spawn-Hulks and Hive-Ships wrestled in the void, spewing Bio-Plasma and Psi-Bile at each other. (Psi-Bile being the grotesque mix of Warp-stuff, Molten Stone, and ever-mutating Organic Matter that the Devouring World and it's Ghoulspawn attack with.) Tyranid forces descended on the twisted planet in great showers of spores and Winged Bioforms. There they battled Cancerous Flesh-Beasts that manned the Bone-Fortresses and Flesh bastions of Hive-fleet Ghoul. Twin ecosystems of consumption and corruption dueled, filling the void with corpses and chunks of each other.

Taking advantage of the Carnage the Chaos Horde Moved forward its vessels bristling with Lances and weapons of Daemonic origin. Directed Energy and Hellfire were spat across the Void at their target. In response, the maw of the Cannibal Planet opened wide and let loose a blast of Psi-Bile so potent and massive it bisected the Tyranid vessels and kept going till it gouged a line of carnage through the Chaos Fleet. One of the "smaller" tendrils of the Planet reached out and dragged a mass of Hive-Ships into its awaiting Mouth. It let out another triumphant roar and continued its battle with the Tyranids besieging it. With every Lance blast, every gout of pyro-acid the Monster was wounded, but it regrew and adapted its impossible flesh. Nothing seemed to be able to actually hurt it. As the Alien, the Mutant and the Heretic battled the Devouring World the servants of the Imperium searched for an answer.

Time/Place 455 010.M42 / Courage of Carolus interrogation chamber.

Kryptman spat out a wad of blood and tried to continue talking "I am trying to tell you the truth, the Shadow in the Warp no longer clouds my mind, let me AAAAGGGHHH" The Excruciator did its grisly work as Kryptman writhed in agony. Heimdall motioned for the Tech Priest to lower the pain settings and began to speak. "I know traitor, this is just my own little way of ensuring your cooperation and giving me some much-needed catharsis"

Stigler playing Good Arbites asked "Okay moving on, First Question, where did those Tyranids come from? It's nearly an entire Hive-Fleet that we have no documentation of." Kryptman half-muttered "The Hydra Effect, shards of Behemoth, Leviathan and other Fleets that have been destroyed group together and form new fleets. Some shards end up lost in the void, separated from the hive-mind. The Hive-Mind used me to gather these pieces into a new force to attack the Devouring World." The Tech-Priest reported that Kryptman's vitals said he was telling the truth.

"The second question is the origin of Hive-Fleet Ghoul you told us true" Kryptman chuckled bitterly "Yes all true, but with one other detail. Chaos and the Tyranids hate it as much as it hates them. The Dark Gods consider it a usurper and a thief of their property. The Hive Mind views it as competition."

Stigler, sighed and continued "Last question, you said to not allow anything to be contaminated by it, what does it do to things it interacts with?" Kryptman's eyes showed his age for a split second, a split second where fear and horror were visible in the ancient criminal. "It only really affects dead tissue, any non-living organic matter that comes into contact with it or its spawn are subjected to its unique Warp Ability. It injects Warp-Stuff into the corpse, like a bizarre mockery of the creation of a Daemon Prince or Chaos Spawn. Affected corpses are brought into unlife, they mutate and contort into forms that are used for whatever the Devouring World needs. These undecaying, mutating Cancer-Beasts are its ground forces, immune system, and weapons."

Heimdall increased the Excruciator settings and spoke in an incensed tone "what you speak of is impossible, I have set foot on Daemon Worlds and even their such fusions of material and the immaterial were impossible." Kryptman gritted his teeth through the pain and with shuddering sentences said. "This thing has the psychic might of entire Planets worth of sentients at its disposal. It has just begun to discover its potential of Psychic Power. The older and bigger it gets the more it will learn to use these powers to consume and grow. I fear what would happen if it were allowed free reign, maybe it would devour the entire galaxy, making it all become part of its hideous bulk." Stigler began pacing back and forth and said: "Is there truly no way to kill it, is it truly unbeatable?" A voice answered from the shadows of the room "No, there is hope still." Melting out of the darkness Custodes Ephoroi Kyn approached.

Time/Place 455 010.M42 / Vision of Decay, Black Legion Battle-Barge

Limax did not hate the Devouring World, hate was not an emotion known to the followers of Nurgle. He did dislike it intensely though, this thing was blasphemy against Papa Nurgle and the rest of the Dark Pantheon. It's very touch stopped the sacred cycle of decay and created abominations of False-Life that stood against Nurgle's Creed. The Other Chaos Gods and their followers shared similar sentiments. Khorne sought its death, seeing it as the ultimate challenger. Tzeentch viewed it as a threat to his schemes and the ultimate danger, a Wild Card in the winds of destiny. Slaanesh pouted and threw hissy fits at the mention of the creature that destroyed his toys and ruined her fun.

The Ruinous Powers decreed that this threat must be destroyed and great rewards would be reaped by the Champion who slew it. Every servant of Chaos from the lowliest mutant to the grandest Astartes Champion hoped to be rewarded in the quest to kill the Cannibal Planet. This has been an advantage and weakness for Limax's fleet. Entire Warbands flocked to his banner to join the hunt, but he had to deal with almost constant challenges to his authority. Somehow through a mix of bribery, manipulation, and assassination, he had kept his fleet together to strike his colossal Nemesis.

The Void crackled with energy as Lances, Plasma Batteries, and Unholy Kai-Cannons blasted away at the Devouring World. Chunks of Tissue-Mantle were thrown into Space by the sheer destructive force of the barrage. Insane Khorne-Ships slammed into their foe, spewing their Berserker Cargo out before Cataclysmic impacts and seeding the Unliving Planet with deepstriking Warriors of Khorne. The fleet was given careful orders to avoid the Tyranids for they were taking most of the Monster attacks, and delay the Devouring World while Limax's Trump Card was prepared. The Navigator of Nurgle had searched long and hard for a weapon to crush the Devouring World. His efforts had been rewarded and a such a weapon had been found.

Using terrible arcane knowledge and rituals to abhorrent to list Limax worked to summon a servant of the Prince of Pleasure, a monster capable of clashing with the Devouring World. Watching the currents of the warp with his Third Eye and found the perfect moment where the tides of hunger and depravity would shift in his favor. Giving the signal an odd member of his fleet broke off. Not a Warship or escort but a stolen Universe Class Mass Conveyor that had been twisted by Slaanesh. Inside its bowls, millions of cultists devoured each other in a feast of insanity that reverberated in the Warp. This was the final piece of the Limax's profane ritual. Once the Conveyor reached a fair distance from the rest of the fleet its Warp-Engine was ruptured reality was torn open. The psychic signal of horrific Cannibal orgies aboard the doomed vessel was so great it pierced through even the Shadow in the Warp and chummed the metaphorical ocean of the warp caught the attention of Leviathan. Oliensis the Paragon of Gluttony.

Emerging from the newly created Warp-Rift he emerged. Oliensis is one of the more curious residents of the Eye of Terror, a Daemon Prince who is also a Daemon World. Slaanesh's Champion of Gluttony is a Man so utterly impossibly obese that he is the size of a Planet. A Colossal mass of blubber and hunger sworn to serve the Dark Prince. Limax had learned about Oliensis from a group of Noise Marines who entered his service and realized that this Daemon Prince/World might be his best option to defeat the Abomination he hunted. One Devouring World to destroy another.

Oliensis happy to be once again in the Materium Calmly floated through the void towards its next meal. Hive-Fleet Ghoul had focused most of its attention on dueling the Tyranids horde and sent its Escort Flesh-Craft out to deal with this new Threat. Uncurling from its fetal position The Daemon World reached out with a colossal swollen hand to pluck one of the Spawn-Hulks out of the void and force it down his gullet. Entire Fortress of Emperors Children and other Slaaneshi Degenerates lined Oliensis's bulk and they began to open fire on the Devouring World and the Tyranids with Depraved Weapons of terrifying Destruction. Kakophoni the size of Fortresses built into Oliensis's pores unleashed Screams that reverberated in both Reality and the Warp, Entire Bone Cities on the Cannibal Planet were reduced to dust by the Scions of the Phoenician.

The Man-Planet entered its foes orbit and Oliensis reached out with its wretched hands and pulled himself onto his meal. Smothering entire Corpse-Continents under his Daemonic Bulk. His bulbous head lets out a groan of pleasure at being presented a meal of such delicious size. The Tyranid Fleets attempted to attack this new rival but Oliensis's Chaotic Nature and his Legions of Defenders protected him as he began his great feast. The Country Sized mouth of the Daemon Prince slammed into the Cannibal Planet's Flesh-Mantle with the force of an orbital Impact. With the frantic disgusting hunger of one blessed by Slaanesh Oliensis began to feed. Roaring in indignation at this the Devouring World counterattacked. Its own grotesque Maw ripped into the Daemon Prince and shook violently like a Shark grasping its prey. Feeder Tendrils wrapped around the Swollen servant of Slaanesh and pulled him closer in a twisted parody of a hug as the Cannibal Planet's maw gorged on Warp-Flesh.

Twin monsters battled in the Material and Immaterial. Just as the Devouring World ripped away at the summoned flesh of Oliensis it gorged on the Daemon Princes formidable psychic Essence. The Glutton Sphere did the same and the two began a stalemate of consumption and Chaos. The Tyranid and Chaos Ships flitted around this display of supernatural hunger battling each other and The Devouring World. Realizing the source of this new rival Hive-Fleet Ghoul sent its Spawn-Hulks to strike the Chaos Fleet.

Time/Place 456 010.M42 / Vision of Decay, Black Legion Battle-Barge

Limax watched the Spawn-Hulks approach. His fleet had spread out in a long range bombardment formation that exposed them to the Masses of Corruption that barreled towards them. Escort and Attack Craft harried the Hulks as they came close enough to open fire with Psi-Bile blasts and Fang-Torpedos. Taking a deep breath that filled his rotten phlegm-filled lungs Limax began to conduct his forces. Spawn-Hulks fought like Ork-Ships, masses of angry feral tissue that stampeded through Space lashing out at anything that got close enough. The Chaos Fleet weaved about, dodging the Hulks blundering movements thanks to Limax's skill and view into the Warp. The Capital ships continued focusing fire on the Devouring World as their Line Ships and escorts dueled the Spawn-Hulk Fleet. Thankfully lacking the sheer mass and psychic power of their master the Spawn-Hulks could be damaged by the Fleet.

Void Shields protected against the Psi-Bile and Micro-Jumps allowed the Vessels to make last-second escapes from being rammed. Limax directly commanded over three hundred vessels in the battle, he used the full extent of his Nurgle-Blessed abilities to conduct this battle. Alas, no matter the power and skill of a mortal they are still a mortal, and his foes was anything but that.

A Single Torpedo formed from mutated bone was all it took. Limax in all his skill and supernatural power missed a single poisoned fang that struck his capital ship. It buried itself in the Vision of Decays hull and as if some mockery of a Dreadclaw it cracked open and death spilled from its cavity. A Dozen Corpse-Thralls was all it took. These monsters formed from constantly mutating flesh rampaged through the decks. Every kill they made added to their numbers. Not even Pox-Walkers or Plague Marines were saved from Cannibal Worlds influence. While they may be walking corpse their foe was truly undead. Limax continued the battle, reducing Spawn-Hulks to slag and ash even as a vicious war was being raged in the guts of his own ship.

Astartes and Cultists fought Corpse Golems and Thralls. Entire decks were flooded with promethium and Warp-Fyre but all it did was slow the advance of Flesh-Puppets. Khorne Berserkers Hacked away at Living walls of meat, Noise Marines shook the entire ship with their song of insanity. Black Legionnaires who could remember the Siege of Terra bled, died and then rose against their brothers. Slowly other vessels in the fleet were struck by Torpedo or ramming and joined the vicious internal battle.

One by one entire vessel's were lost and became new Spawn-Hulks, with the entirety of the ship's innards being one mass of undead-flesh. Limax carried the battle on even as his Astartes Guards battled the corruption spilling into the Bridge. After 10 hours of this hell, the Chaos Fleet went dark. The main battle mirrored this when Oliensis finally was broken and cast back into the warp. The Dark Gods and the Great Devourer had failed. The Devouring World let out a psychic roar of triumph, before beginning the hunt for the Imperials and its Kin-Slayer.


	8. Chapter 8 War of the Damned

Chapter 8 - War of the Damned.

Time/Place 456 010.M42 / Battle Barge Courage of Carolus

Gustavus Carl Had moved the Imperial Fleet three light seconds from the center of the conflict and now watched the battle die down. The fleet had not faced any foes at this distance, aside from a few deranged lost Chaos Escort. Carl had hoped that the Xenos and Traitors would wipe each other out but no such luck. The Daemon World had seemed like it might turn the tide but even it had been ravaged and banished back into the Warp. The Tyranids also had been lost, they simply did not have the biomass to absorb their foe. Now he was faced with not three foes at each other's throats but a single stronger threat. Almost the entirety of the Chaos Fleets Line ships had been contaminated and consumed. The Spawn-Hulks now numbered in the hundreds and formed a veritable Battlefleet.

The Chapter Master weighed his options, this thing was after Kryptman and if they jettisoned the Traitorous bastard in an escape pod that would hopefully buy them enough time to escape back to Imperial Space, but what then? If they were lucky it would stay in Chaos held territory and attack them, even if it did that it would eventually wander into Imperial Space and Emperor knows how powerful it would be then…

Gustavus Carl knew his fleet could not win against this foe, all they could hope to do was delay it. Letting out a grim sigh he went to contact the Inquisitors, maybe if they Warped out of here and dumped Kryptman on some Emperor-forsaken rock near the Eye of Terror that would distract the Devouring World long enough for the Lord Commander to have time to mount a proper offense. Just as he was about to Vox the interrogation Room the Inquisitors in question entered the Bridge followed by a Pair of Medicae Acolytes who wheeled in a bandaged Kryptman, strapped to an ugly metal rack. The mysterious Custodes brought up the rear of this odd party.

The Ephoroi Custodes was a shadow that haunted the vessel, a phantom which would occasionally provide consult to him or the Inquisitors. Now he stood before them, a living embodiment of the Emperor's Will. In a voice deeper than even an Astartes Ephoroi Kyn spoke softly. "Chapter Master Gustavus Carl, the Inquisitors believe that no options remain and that all hope is lost. Do you agree with that assessment?" Taken aback by the abrupt tone Gustavus replied: "There is no conceivable option to destroy the Devouring World, all we can do is delay it." The Custodes walked up to the Viewport and looked at the Distant Monster and its swarm of Spawn-Hulks. "There's one final weapon we can use, the price to use it though will be heavy."

Time/Place 456 010.M42 / Battle Barge Courage of Carolus

The Custodes pulled a small case from a pouch on his armor and held it out to Gustavus. The Chapter Master was almost collapsed when he touched it, whatever was inside that case was empowered with a phenomenal amount of psychic power. It felt similar to being in his Primarchs presence but somehow more...raw. With trembling hands, he opened the case and examined its contents. A single Purity Seal lay inside, from it poured a constant wave of Holy-Power.

The Custodes began to speak "That is our last option, a Purity Seal that was placed upon the Golden Throne itself for a century. It is instilled with a drop of the Emperor's Power." Gustavus and the rest of the Bridge instantly dropped to one knee in reverence to this holiest artifact. Ephoroi Kyn continued "Under the right conditions the destruction of this Seal will summon the Emperor's Wrath made manifest.

I was given authority to use this artifact by my Captain-General in case the Traitors unleashed a weapon that not even Lord Guilliman could defeat. Unfortunately breaking the seal is just half of the ritual, it requires tremendous sacrifice." The Custodes took the Seal out of the box and held it in the palm of his massive hand. "I say this with no agenda, no lies, but with the simple truth. The Death of many Astartes is the only fuel to trigger the aid we need. Gustavus Carl, are you prepared to sacrifice your Battle-Brothers?'

The Chapter Master's face was a mask of grim resolve. "We are Astartes, we were born to die for Mankind." He gently took the Seal from the Custodes and asked softly "How many of us?" the Talon of the Emperor whispered "a Quarter of your Chapter brave Astartes" Nodding somberly Gustavus knew what must be done. The Inquisitors, the Custodes, and the Heretic Kryptman watched the grim procession as two hundred and fifty of the Emperor's Angels of Death in full regalia entered the main Hangar of the Battle Barge. The Chapter Master explained before to his Brothers what was required of them, they were Astartes and knew their duty. The only arguments that broke out were not of trying to flee this sacrifice but those not selected trying to take their Brothers place.

The Inquisitors and all of his Captain tried to convince him otherwise but Gustavus knew that he could only ask this of his Men if he was amongst them. The Chapter Master of the Imperial Lions gave his relics to his First Captain, Saluted his Brothers and joined the Astartes chosen to die. The Apothecaries stood by to collect the Gene-Seed, the Chaplains gave this Chapter of the Damned their last writes and as one they died by whatever method they had selected. Gustavus was the Last. As he Pulled the Bolt Pistols Trigger he crushed the Purity Seal in his grip and silently begged the Emperor to help his sons. His Prayers would be Answered.

A Wave of Holy Power poured out of the broken Purity Seal, it emanated outwards washing over the fallen Astartes. At first, nothing happened but after a few fearful seconds, Gustavus's plea was answered. One by one the Astartes bodies burst into ethereal flames, gouts of this strange fire covered them, obscuring the armored forms of the Astartes. The Custodes began to speak to the mystified Inquisitors and shocked Astartes as they watched the flames dance over the sacrificed two hundred and fifty.

"The Inquisition have searched for the truth of a certain phenomenon for centuries, the Army of Ghosts that appear from nowhere to help the Imperium and then fade out of existence. We Custodes were the first to encounter them actually, they have appeared occasionally in the Imperial Palace from as early as M33. It took centuries of study and investigation to discover who these Flaming Spirits were. It took even longer to discover how to summon them. It was the psychic backlash of the Death of the Firehawks Chapter that allowed us to discover the Truth. Whenever a loyal Astartes falls in battle their soul is returned to their Creator, The Master of Mankind. They then become one with him and help him in his eternal war against the Ruinous Powers."

The 1st Captain then spoke up "So that is the fate that awaits us Astartes, it is a noble one." The Custodes turned to him and spoke softly. "True but not the fate of all. Some Astartes refuse this fate, not out of disloyalty or even cowardice but a desire to continue the fight against those who threaten Mankind. These souls are subjected to the Emperor's Glory and face a millisecond of the pain and suffering the Emperor faces on the Golden Throne. If the Astartes souls can survive are empowered by He on Terra to continue their duty beyond even death. The few that survive this crucible are damaged and scarred, but fight on for they have been touched by our Emperor and his will. This Army of Ghosts is slowly but surely growing, an army Damned to an eternity of pain and insanity as no longer the Emperor's Angels but the Emperors Daemons."

Inquisitor Heimdall half whispered "So it is true, they do exist and are servants of our Lord." The Custodes finished his speech "Yes the Legion of the Damned exist and those today who have sacrificed themselves joined its immortal ranks." and with that, the first of the sacrificed arose. What had been Chapter Master Gustavus rose to its feet as the flames died down but did not disappear. His armor was blackened and damaged at places. Its Adamantium had been reforged with Ribs and Skulls decorating it. All while Warp-Fire leaked from the Armors Joints. The Other Astartes slowly arose after him in their new form. The Legion of the Damned had grown by Two-Hundred and Fifty Souls.

The new Damned Legionnaires stood as one, they rippled with Warp Energies and gave off an aura of raw psychic energy that felt oh so similar and yet so different from the divine light of the Astronomicon. The Devouring World was just a Single Light Second away from the fleet and its swarm of Spawn-Hulk speed forth eager to meet the Imperials and consume them. The Custodes then remarked, "The Purity Seal has twofold effects, ensuring they survive the ritual, and it acts as a beacon for their Kin." Void then exploded into a blaze of Supernatural Flame.

The Custodes Kyn spoke as they watched from the Hanger this display "That is a Warp Rifts opened by the Master of Mankind, they are different from the usual gashes in reality that spill insanity. These Gates are purified with the Flame of the Anathema and his Daemons come forth" The Golden Sun-Like blaze slowly faded and in its place was a fleet. Dozens of Battle-Barges and Hundreds of Strike Cruisers stood in between the Imperial Fleet and the Cannibal Planet. Each Vessel was cloaked in Holy Fire and was the Obsidian black of the Legion of the Damned. At the Head of this fleet was a truly massive vessel, More Star-Fort than Battle-Barge this Titanic vessel burned with a Nova of Anathema-Fire, The Raptorus Rex of the Fire Hawks had arrived.

What had Been Chapter Master Gustavus walked over to First Captain Adolphus and saluted him, his Successor Returned the salute and with that, the Two Hundred and Fifty former Imperial Lions disappeared with a gout of Holy Flame. The Devouring World was dead and could not die, but now it Faced a Legion that had gone beyond Death and Sanity. The Inquisitors, the Custodes, and the others returned to the Bridge where the New Chapter Master took the Helm and prepared to join their Fallen Brothers in the final battle in this War of the Damned.

It seemed every single Astartes Vessel that had been lost in the Warp since the Great Crusade was with them. Each one's hull was blackened and burnt by the Might of the Emperor. He On Terra is a great Sun of psychic power and these Vessels had been saved from the Clutches of the Ruinous Power by Him but flown too close to His very Divine Star. The Devouring World let out a Psychic Roar that shook the Materium but did not even phase the Emperors Daemons. Instead, they let out their own War-Cry. Every Vox in the Entire system roared the ghostly cry of the Legion of the Damned "We are the Gods of the New World Order! We are the Soldiers, the Legion of Light! We are the Center, the Death of the Sun! Fire and flame, We are One!" With that Thousands of Ghostly Macro Cannons and Lances opened Fire on Devouring World.

Time/Place 457 010.M42 / .5 Light Seconds from the Devouring World

A Wave of Macro-shells and Lance Beams screamed through the void. The Damned Fleet and the Imperials had begun the assault on the Devouring World. The First volley of Lances struck one of the Spawn-Hulks that was getting close. The Las-blasts tore off chunks of the corrupted Vessels, atomizing literal tons of Metal and Mutated Flesh. The Imperials watched waiting for the Spawn-Hulks to regenerate from the damage as they always did, instead, each crater in its fetid hide burned with Holy-Fire.

The Emperor's Flames washed over the Abominations Hull, scorching it both in the materium and the immaterium. The Legion of the Damned are beings of both reality and the Warp and they wreak destruction and bring salvation on both planes. Damned Escorts circled around the Spawn-Hulk as its hide blistered and boiled from the Supernatural Flames that were charged with the fury of the Emperors Daemons. The Hulk gave off a vicious psychic screech and tried to smash into one of the Legion escorts. When it seemed like the Spawn-Hulk was about to crush the vessel, the escort flickered like a flame and its attacker passed right through it. The Legion of the Damned's Fleet shared its crew's ability to flicker in between dimensions.

The Fire coursed through the Spawn-Hulk as it thrashed in impotent rage as it was purified before the rest of the fleet advanced to its locations. The Hulk had been reduced to a charred skeleton of Adamantium. It's putrid flesh had been stripped off by the Flames. Spawn-Hulk after Spawn-Hulk was bombarded into slag skeletons by the Damned Fleet as it approached the Devouring World. Orifice-Turrets spat Psi-Bile into the Void as Bone-Cannons fired their hideous volleys. The Imperial Vessels weaved through the void, dodging the fire as the Legion ships just continued forward in their relentless push. The Spawn-Hulks were now all ash and slag and the Fleet turned their fire power to the Devouring World. Millions of Holy-Flame Drenched Macro-Shells pelted the Flesh-Crust of the Devouring World. City Sized configurations dotted the Cannibal Planet. The Flames chewed away at it, turning armies of Corpse-Thralls to ash as the Holy-Flame burned through the corruption like a Forest Fire through underbrush..

The Monster unleashed it Country sized tendrils desperately trying to swat the Ghost-Ships out of its orbit, the blows that could shatter tectonic plates just passed through their targets and it let forth a furious Psychic Wail. The Raptorus Rex then moved into orbit above the Devouring Worlds continent-sized maw and prepared to unleash the full fury of the Emperor and the Imperium. The Ghostly Star Fort was equipped with a truly formidable weapon, an Imperial Nova Cannon. Nova Cannons already are tools of utter destruction that fire Titan-sized shells near light-speed and this Nova Cannon was fruther strengthened by the Emperor's blessing. The former home of Fire Hawks fired its salvo of annihilation straight into the Devouring Worlds mouth. For a split-second, it seemed that the Spawnhole system had a second Sun.

The Devouring World had a colossal crack bisecting the planet, a grin shaped scar that bled Psi-Bile and Lava. Its Corpse-Flesh tried to knit itself back together but the Emperors Flames burnt away any and all new Growth. It's Great Tendrils tried to reach to the void as it let out a psychic wail of desperation and pain. The Great pillars of Flesh that were its Arms gave up in their grasping and collapsed into its bulk and joined the conflagration on the surface. Patches of Imperial Fire feasted on the rampant corruption on the World and grew larger and larger while the Damned Fleet Continued their bombardment. Hive-Fleet Ghoul was burning to death in a great funeral pyre of Holy-Flame.

The Imperial Fleet watched as the monster that had consumed a thousand worlds was broken and burnt by the Emperor's Will, but the Devouring World was ever the canny monster and like most things was most dangerous when cornered... The Chief Librarian of the Imperial Lions was the first to notice that something was wrong, something was disturbing the Warp. He gazed into the Warp and saw it, the Devouring Worlds psychic presence was consolidating. When it was controlling the Spawn Hulks it had stretched its aura to the size of a system to puppet them. Now it was shrinking rapidly, the Full psychic might of the Devouring World was condensed and used. A moon-sized hunk of flesh exploded out of its burning husk. Like some gross parasite erupting from a wound, this unscathed Flesh-Moon used its psychic power to desperately keep the Holy Flames from it as it tried to escape the Damned Fleet.

It seemed for a few short seconds this abomination would succeed, but the Legion of the Damned is not foiled so quickly. Battle-barges and the Raptorus Rex moved with supernatural speed to surround the Devouring World. Great Harpoons of Blessed Adamantium were fired from the Fleet and pierced the Monster's hide. Colossal chains forged in holy flames and marked with countless runes of arcane might linked the Vessels and the Harpoons. The Devouring Worlds core was immobilized by the Chains as the Battle-barges flew around it wrapping the Moon-sized hunk of mutant flesh with the burning chains empowered by the Emperor himself.

Bound by the chains the Devouring World let out a pitiful psychic moan as The Raptorus Rex began to haul it like some grotesque parody of a shackled prisoner. The Legion opened up a colossal Warp Rift and The Raptorus Rex entered it slowly pulling the frantically fighting Devouring World with it. There was no resisting and the Cannibal Planet was dragged screaming into the Warp. As the rift shut behind it the Legion fleet began to slowly flicker out of existence, like candles being snuffed. Until all that was left in the system was the Imperial Fleet.


	9. Epilogue: Gods and Kings

Epilogue I: After Action Report

Time/Place 611 010.M42 / Macragge's Honour Gloriana Class Battle-barge.

Roboute Guilliman sat in his chambers reading the report sent by Inquisitors Heimdall and Stigler, who along with the rest of their fleet were undergoing decontamination and screening to avoid any possible taint. The story ranged from the fantastical to the horrifying. Technologies and monsters unheard even during the worst of the Great Crusade and the Heresy were described and documented. Vids and Picts showed the various battles and confrontations. He watched the Helm Cams of Storm-Troopers battling Genestealers and the Auspex displays of the Inquisitorial Blackship when it fired the Cyclonic torpedo at the now sealed Devouring World.

He had looked into the Legion of the Damned and was interested to find out more about these Phantoms if they really were what the Custodes claimed they were all sorts of interesting possibilities opened up. Particularly if their members included those slain in the Heresy, maybe even his brothers killed during and after the Heresy. If phenomenal willpower and being gene-linked to the Emperor were the requirements then maybe his Iron Handed and Praetorian siblings could live again... He shook his head and kept reading, he could not think of resurrecting his siblings until he found his missing ones.

Soon the Two Inquisitors and the new Chapter Master of the Imperial Lions entered, they had been assessed and found pure by fellow Inquisitors and the Eight Grey Knights deployed at all times to protect Guilliman from Chaotic influences. The Primarch greeted the trio and congratulated them on their success. Chapter Master Adolphus suddenly bowed extremely low before his Gene-Sire and spoke "Please forgive my impertinence my Lord, you may lay any punishment upon me for this impertinence but I wish for the names of the Two Hundred and Fifty sacrificed Astartes be honored with their names being Carved into the Rolls of Valor in the Hall of Heroes." Guilliman smiled softly and spoke "You are forgiven my son, They shall, as will the Bell of Lost Souls be rung two hundred and fifty times, and Gustavus personal Heraldry will be added to the Hall of Heroes. They deserve this much at least for their service." The Astartes rose and profusely thanked the Primarch.

Turning to the Inquisitors he spoke again "You two have shown considerable skill and have served the Imperium admirably. I have had my doubts about the Inquisition and it needs reforming but you two are capable and qualified to hold the power you do." The Inquisitors bowed and thanked him for his praise. "Oh but one last thing, your report mentioned you captured and used Ex-Inquisitor Kryptman but did not say what happened to him or where he is" With that, the Inquisitors looked at each other and Heimdall simply said "We honestly don't know My Liege, we hoped you knew. He and the Custodes disappeared shortly after the Legion of the Damned left, we assumed you had him."

Epilogue II: Kryptman's Fate  
Time/Place 629 010.M42 / Somewhere within the Webway

The Ex-Inquisitor awoke from his drug-induced coma, the last thing he remembered was a Black-Armored Giant entering his cell and injecting something into him. He tried to move and found he was bound and gagged. Looking around he realized he was strapped to a Jetbike moving at high speeds. Kryptman was in some sort of massive tunnel, it was easily big enough for a Titan to walk through. Its walls seemed to ripple and shimmer as if they were made from liquid. He looked to the front of the Jetbike to examine his captor and was stunned at the sight of the Golden Warrior astride the Jetbike. A member of the Custodes was transporting him somewhere. Wracking his brain for any and all information he could he came to a sudden realization of where he was, The Eldar Webway.

He had seen portals and read descriptions of it but this was the first time he had been in the mysterious labyrinth Dimension. Eventually, after a few minutes of flight, the tunnel opened up to a massive Chamber. Its size was such he could not see the other side of it. Before Kryptman could admire the vastness around him his attention was taken by a truly magnificent sight. An Eldar Craftworld floated before them. This Moon Sized vessel was formed from Obsidian black Wraithbone and pulsed with eerie light. The Jetbike shot towards it and landed at an empty docking port.

The Custodes Hoisted Kryptman off the Bike and carried him over his shoulder towards the Craftworlds gate all while never saying a word or responding to Kryptmans struggles. The Custodes entered the Craftworld and was greeted by a peculiar sight. Inside was a troop of Harlequin, a Group of Eldar Farseers and strangely enough an elderly Human dressed in a Coat that seemed to shift colors and patterns and a Sister of Battle whose eyes glowed with supernatural power.

The Custodes deposited him roughly in front of the Group and spoke: "He is the one of interest to you, he will be a good asset to the Order of Recollectors." Nodding one of the Farseers began to speak in High-Gothic, its voice was musical and a thing of beauty. "This one has been touched by the Great Devourer and will be useful in our mutual cause. Servant of the Anathema. We shall meet again in our preparations for the Rhana Dandra" Without another word the Custodes turned and left them. The elderly Human approached Kryptman. Kryptman noticed a brand on his forehead, in the shape of the Inquisitions Sigil and realized who this individual must be. Peering down at him the Keeper of the Atlas Infernal then spoke: "I am High Inquisitor Bronislaw Czevak, welcome to the Black Library Ex-Inquisitor Kryptman."

Epilogue III: A World Devoured  
Time/Place ?/ Deep within The Eye of Terror

The Devouring World had been helpless as the Fleet of Phantoms bound it and dragged into the Warp, where they had deposited its shackled form. The Chains that now wrapped it muted its psychic power and burnt it constantly. It could feed on the pure warp-stuff around it to stave off its doom but kept it in a horrendous balance of being destroyed and rebuilt at the same speed. It let out constant psychic wails of agony seeking the help of any kind. The Cannibal Planet in all its power and knowledge had never learned that attracting attention in the Warp is not a good idea, its cries had not gone unnoticed and the true Apex Predators of the Warp had come.

It was like a psychic tide, waves of energy and power came from all possible sides pouring towards the bound and weakened Devouring World. It sensed something then, multiple somethings of impossible Power. The Cannibal Planet had the power to break worlds and enslave billions but its psychic presence was just a drop of water in the Sea of Souls. Now it was faced with the true masters of the Immaterium. Four masses of power moved steadily towards the bound abomination. The Warp is often compared to an Ocean, with its currents and storms, to use that allegory what felt like Warp-Hurricanes came from the Cardinal Directions screaming towards the Captive World, The Chaos Gods had come to claim this newest curiosity.

A voice that seemed to ooze out of the Warp begun the conversation " It is mine, I am the Plague-Father and Lord of Decay. One of my Champions fell against it I deserve it as compensation and undeath and rot are my domain so I shall take possession of this Oddity." A Beautiful voice with a melody beyond the ken of mortals retorted. "My Oliensis was hurt by fighting this creature. Such a Glutton and corrupter, OBVIOUSLY it is mine!" In response one of the Storms, a mass of blood and gore that seethed with unimaginable fury roared out "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WHELPS THINK! ITS SKULL IS MINE TO CLAIM! IT SLEW BILLIONS THAT WERE MY SERVANTS TO KILL IN MY NAME! I SHALL TAKE IT AND CLAIM ITS BLOOD FOR MYSELF AND ITS SKULL FOR MY THRONE."

The last remaining Storm than piped in with a voice that sounded like trillions of different beings speaking at once. "Siblings, you forget the obvious, it is bound by the Anathema's Power and kept from us, besides its psychic abilities and power over mutation make it mine if it could be claimed." Realizing the Truth of their crafty sibling's words the Dark Powers decided if none of them could own the Devouring World no one could. With the unholy might of Chaos itself, they plunged the Cannibal Planet into the deepest most forbidden reaches of the Warp. They're in the realm of pure insanity and utter oblivion the Devouring World met its final fate smothered by the Unreality of Pure Chaos.

The End.


	10. Data-Slate:Imperial Lions

**Chapter Name-** Imperial Lions

 **Battlecry-** Kaiser Mit Uns (local Gothic dialect for "The Emperor is With us")

 **Symbol-** Rearing Lion With a Sword in Hand.

 **Homeworld-** Kronor, A Cold Alpine world urban world that is directly ruled by the Imperial Lions.

 **Genesire-** Roboute Guilliman, Possess their genesires skill at strategy and ability to govern well.

 **Founding-** 16th Founding

 **Geneseed flaws-** No Particularly mentionable but possess discipline that is above the already exemplar levels of Astartes.

 **Organization-** Semi-Codex Compliant but with some variations. Including semi-unique usage of Chapter Serfs and more focus on Devastator Squads and other distance combat alone with more regimental formations and gunline tactics. They are famous for traveling with a truly massive army of Chapter Serfs who fight alongside them. Each 149 Man Company of Serfs (these combat ones are known as Caroleans) Is lead by a single Astartes. The inspirational factor of fighting alongside the Angels of Death and the adamantium discipline of these forces make them an incredible Regiment comparable to Cadian Kasrkins or Inquisitorial Stormtroopers. Roughly half of Imperial Lion Astartes lead these Carolean Companies while the rest fight in typical Codex deployments

 **Size-** 1,200 Marines along with 60,000 Carolean Chapter Serfs.

 **Chapter Master-** Gustavus Carl, 749 Year old veteran of numerous crusades. A Legendary Void-Commander who has crushed numerous traitor fleets.

 **Combat Doctrine-** Prefer to distance themselves from their foe and attack with synchronized Artillery and Gun Lines to keep continuous fire upon their foes. Never allowing them to recover or retaliate.

 **Equipment and Fleet-** One Battle Barge, Four Cruisers, and 15 Escort craft. Fairly Standard equipment for an Astartes Chapter. More Mark VII armor than any other mark. Above average number of artillery and bikes.

 **Role-** Crusader Chapter, Makes a Decade long crusades across the Galaxy, returns back to Kronor to Resupply and recruit.

 **Chapter Legend-** Chapter Master Friedrich, invented the Caroleans method after a particularly disastrous crusade that left the Chapter with only 109 Marines.


End file.
